DBS Bank India Unveils New initiative to Support Women Re-entering the Workplace
Introduces six-month project-based internship program for women returning from a career break, as part of larger diversity and inclusion efforts
Individuals who re-enter the workplace after a career break may find it difficult getting back to the demands of corporate life, particularly given the pace at which technology and the workplace are evolving. In addition to this, women particularly, could also face challenges with unconscious bias or balancing work-life demands. Recognising this, DBS Bank India has developed a special six-month internship program wherein shortlisted returnees will engage in projects, receive guidance from seasoned industry leaders within a supportive environment, aimed at enabling a smoother transition back to work. The DBS program involves valuable hands-on experience in a workplace that has been honoured by Avtar and Seramount as one of the ‘100 Best Companies for Women in India’ for eight consecutive years. This recognition marked the third consecutive feature in the ‘100 Best – Hall of Fame’ category. The bank’s 'Reimagine' program also supports the participants with suitable training programs during the returnship journey so that they can develop their skills for continued success.
Kishore Poduri, Managing Director, and Country Head - HR, DBS Bank India, said, “A diverse talent pool and a well-supported workforce is a foundational reason why DBS prides itself on being a future-ready bank. We have introduced this six-month internship for women returning to work in a very intentional way so that we can build a pipeline of skilled talent, while helping employees grow their careers in the long-term. While this is one more step in our journey, some of our earlier programs have already shown promising results. For instance, in 2023, the overall engagement score for women in DBS Bank India has increased by 13% compared to the previous year. These are signs that our efforts are paying off as we continue to focus on creating an environment where all employees are supported to thrive professionally and live fulfilled.”
DBS prides itself on being a different kind of bank, shaping its organisational culture so that employees are motivated to make banking joyful. The organisation strives to be a forerunner in the employee benefits space, by taking a hyper-personalised approach to cater to the evolving needs of a diverse workforce. Effective this year, DBS Bank India has extended its paternity and adoption leave for new fathers from 2 weeks to 4 weeks, in an effort to advance parity and enable a more balanced sharing of parental responsibilities. The benefit gives new fathers the time to participate more actively in the crucial early stages of parenthood, supporting a more equitable distribution of parental duties so that both partners can enjoy this formative time as a family.
Underlining the efficacy of the bank’s earlier diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, DBS has been featured on prestigious rankings such as the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index for six consecutive years (2018-2023) and has been included in Kelp HR’s ‘25 Safest Workplaces for Women’ list for three consecutive years. In 2023, DBS Bank India was awarded ‘Best Employer for Women’ by ASSOCHAM at the Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Awards. Recently, the organisation was also recognised as a ‘Best Employer’ by Kincentric for the fourth consecutive time, marking its entry into the coveted ‘Best Employers’ Club 2024.
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About DBS
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia with a presence in 19 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS is in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. The bank's "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings are among the highest in the world. In 2024, CRISIL Ratings reaffirmed its ‘CRISIL AAA/Stable’ rating on the corporate credit facility of DBS Bank India Ltd (DBIL). The rating on the certificate of deposits programme was also reaffirmed at ‘CRISIL A1+’.
Recognised for its global leadership, DBS has been named “World’s Best Bank” by Global Finance, “World’s Best Bank” by Euromoney, and “Global Bank of the Year” by The Banker. As a different kind of bank, DBS is at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking, having been named “World’s Best Digital Bank” by Euromoney and the world’s “Most Innovative in Digital Banking” by The Banker. In addition, DBS has been accorded the “Safest Bank in Asia” award by Global Finance for 15 consecutive years from 2009 to 2023. In line with its focus on responsible banking, DBS was named the Best Bank for Sustainable Finance – India by Global Finance in 2024. Additionally, DBS Bank was ranked among the top 3 on Forbes' list of the World's Best Banks in India for three consecutive years, from 2020 to 2022.
DBS Bank has been present in India for 30 years, opening its first office in Mumbai in 1994. DBS Bank India Limited is the first among the large foreign banks in India to start operating as a wholly owned, locally incorporated subsidiary of a leading global bank. As a trusted partner, DBS provides a range of banking services for large, medium, and small enterprises and individual consumers in India, focusing on a seamless customer experience that helps them ‘Live more, Bank less’. In November 2020, Lakshmi Vilas Bank was merged with DBS Bank India Limited. DBS Bank India now has a network of ~530 branches in 19 Indian states.
DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers as it banks the Asian way and understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. Through the DBS Foundation, the bank creates impact beyond banking by supporting businesses for impact: enterprises with a double bottom-line of profit and social and/or environmental impact. DBS Foundation also gives back to society in various ways, including equipping underserved communities with future-ready skills and helping them to build food resilience.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
Media Contacts:
DBS Bank India Rohini Rego 99305 49207 | Adfactors PR Chennakeshav Shenoy 9819266998 |
