The world is fast evolving and women are now rapidly seeping into the forefront across all fields. From small businesses to large corporates, women employment is on the rise and it’s heartwarming to see such a huge shift in the world of a predominantly patriarchal society. The women empowerment narrative and fast-evolving and organizations have taken it upon themselves to be the flag bearers of incorporating a team which is dominated and headed by women entrepreneurs. One such organization which truly believes in women empowerment and embodies the diversity is GITS. Established in 1963 Gits Food Products Pvt Ltd, the famous organization which kick-started the convenience food Category in 1963, has a factory labour force of nearly all women; 98% to be precise!
Other than just offering a source of income to these women, GITS has provided these women with a new sense of self-respect and confidence to stand shoulder-shoulder with other members of the society. Along with the factory employees, Gits also employs over a hundred women as marketing promoters and merchandisers, further enabling their narrative and building an organization which is aided largely by women.
A majority of the women working at the GITS factory come from an underprivileged background where they face unparalleled challenges in life. From financial burdens to being subjected to marriages with domestic abuse, these women have had it all. They serve to be an inspiration to thousands for having fought their battles and struggled in stride to whether all that life has thrown their way. And GITS is most proud of how far these women have come ahead. The company has been able to provide them with a sense of additional financial security and filled them with immense self-respect and pride. The company also provides them with additional support on a case-to-case basis for their children’s education, any illness in the family or any contingencies that arise.
What is also commendable is the vegetable distribution that takes place in the factory on a daily basis. A practice that soon became a value addition from over a decade ago, considering the food inflation, this practice has particularly sowed a deep sense of belonging for the women working at the organization. The company surveyed their proud 98% female factory workforce and realized that a large chunk of their salary went in the spend of daily groceries. As a result, the company decided to distribute vegetables and other grocery products daily to the female workers going back home. The gesture may be small but the impact that it caused has managed to bring about a massive improvement in their lives. The money that would otherwise be spent on grocery items now got saved and was spent on the larger priorities in their life such as their children’s education, marriage, medical care, debts and loans. These savings proved to be a boon for the women and it not just helped in easing the financial burden but also ensured a better standard of living, thus yielding focus on health and hygiene. Moreover, the time spent in going to the market was now helping women in spending more time with their families.
This simple act of vegetable distribution which initially started as a small one-time activity yielded a much greater impact which later turned into an organizational value. There isn’t a single day that goes by wherein the vegetables are not distributed.
It’s wholesome to see how women focused organizations aim are turning the lives of women from underprivileged backgrounds. These organizations are soon forming the backdrop of the society and in the digitalized world of today, this sentimentality is what makes a company stand out from the crowd. Balancing profits while being a social entrepreneur entails all that a company can give back to the society and GITS serves its purpose beautifully through this philosophy.
