ONGC bagged the 'Best Enterprise Award' in the Maharatna and Navratna category at WIPS Award of excellence held on February 11, 2014 at Kolkata. ONGC bagged this award third time in a row. The award ceremony was part of the 24th National Convention, Forum of Women in Public Sector (WIPS) which carried the theme “WWW…We Women lead the World”.

Mrs. Vanita Kumar, GGM-Head CSR received the award on behalf of ONGC from Mr Somnath Chatterjee, Former speaker Lok Sabha and Chief Guest of the convention. The Inaugural session was attended by over 650 women professionals from different Public Sector Enterprises across India.

(Left) WIPS members along with GM-Head Coordination presenting the award to Director (HR); (Right) Sharing a light moment with the CMD

In Mr Sudhir Vasudeva’s opinion, the award being presented to ONGC for the third time in a row was testimony to ONGC’s unswerving commitment towards empowerment of women and said that it further fortified its image as an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Director HR Mr K S Jamestin was of the view that women require to be more efficiently integrated into the economy in order to boost India's long-term competitive potential. “More fundamentally, glass-ceilings in minds have to be broken. The best efforts should come from the women themselves”, added Director (HR) as he appreciated the WIPS team members for working towards this cause diligently.

ONGC’s submission at the WIPS National Convention titled ‘Breaking the Glass Ceiling’ received accolades at the forum for its path breaking HR policies that has made women employees a force to reckon with and recognized them as collaborators in its success story.

ONGC has been opening new horizons for women for over last three decades. Today a large number of women are holding challenging portfolios. Women are given opportunities for proving their mettle by heading geophysical field parties, working in core areas in the plants, Institutes, corporate offices and are also posted at offshore and in remote locations.

In the panel discussion on “Sustainable development and the transformative power of women” Ms Alka Mittal, GM (HR) and Coordinator WIPS for ONGC, shared that ONGC has adopted a three-pronged strategy towards empowering women: Environment, Opportunity and Development.

Jubilant WIPS members of ONGC receiving the award from Mr Somnath Chatterjee, Former Speaker Lok Sabha

She elaborated the approach further: First that they are provided with an environment which brings out the best in them viz. various provisions for implementation of policies like child care leave, maternity leave, caring for women in secondary work force, maternity leave for adoption etc.

Secondly, women officials in different work centres are given opportunities to network which helps in further reinforcing their commitment towards their own professional growth and their organisational goals.

Third, ONGC provides for extensive coaching, mentoring, assessment development centres and various training and development initiatives so that women at ONGC remain focussed on their career growth while maintaining work-life balance.

During his address, Mr Somnath Chatterjee said that the rights given to women as Indian citizens are as per the constitution of our country and should not be considered as charity. He further said, “Public Sectors provide greatest hope to the country’s economy and the contribution of women in these public sectors is definitely worthwhile. Women achievers have proved themselves as backbone of public sectors.”

Mr U.D. Choubey, DG SCOPE and key note speaker began his address by acknowledging the leadership quality of women in public sector.  He said “Today, PSEs are contributing majorly to the exchequer and the contribution of women in the performance of PSEs cannot be undermined. It is important for the development of the organization and the country to utilise this vast human resource and channelize their contribution by adding them to the existing work force. As of now only 10% of the elite women are in urban employment.”

WIPS Website was launched and a souvenir by WIPS was released on the occasion. The awards were instituted under the aegis of SCOPE to recognize the talent of Women workforce and encourage best practices to promote development of women in public sector. The two day session ended with WIPS members recommitting themselves towards contributing for the growth of public sector and Forum for Women in Public Sector. ONGC today has 2236 women officials and over 1000 of them have become life members of WIPs.