Vasant 'Vas' Narasimhan, the Global Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Novartis, on Thursday (March 21) said the company is dedicated to gender parity, citing achievements such as equal pay for equal work and significant representation of women in management roles both globally and within Novartis India.
Speaking exclusively to CNBC-TV18,
Narasimhan said, "At Novartis, we have ensured equal pay for equal work, and we have reached that milestone," he added, highlighting the company's success in achieving pay equity across genders.
Narasimhan pointed out that Novartis has made significant strides globally, with 48% of management positions held by women. "In India, we're also making progress," he said.
"We now have a high percentage of women in the organisation, and we are also seeing more women in management roles," he said, noting that these figures surpass industry standards.
Expressing pride in the company's reputation as a supportive workplace for women, Narasimhan said, "This is a great place for women to work. They thrive here, both in India and globally." He underlined their efforts to ensure diversity in leadership roles, stating, "We are working hard to build a more diverse leadership team."
Novartis, a $210-billion pharmaceutical powerhouse, operates in India through two units: Novartis India Ltd (NIL) and Novartis Healthcare Private Ltd (NHPL).
