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42% of all hires in best companies are women
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Women’s representation is at 33% in GCC
Avtar Group, Chennai headquartered leading workplace culture consulting and Inclusion Solutions firm, announced the second Edition of Avtar & Seramount Best Companies for Women in Gulf (BCWG) list. BCWG is an influential benchmarking initiative spotlighting organizations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region that excel in fostering gender diversity and inclusive workplace policies. The announcement was made at the Best of Best (BOB) Conference held in Dubai.
Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-President, Avtar Group
Avtar Group in partnership with US based Seramount has been hosting the Best Companies for Women initiative in India since 2016. The study titled Best Companies for Women in India, has completed nine successful editions in India and has raised the bar on gender inclusion goals and practices in corporate India. The tenth edition of the listing in India is expected to be announced, by end of September. The “Best Companies” initiative with its data centric approach, has helped organizations refine their inclusion strategy through diversity benchmarks and inclusion best practices that emerge from the comprehensive application process that captures 300+ talent strategy metrices pertaining to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.
The 2025 BCWG study unveiled the Top 10 companies and other Best Companies in the Gulf region that are leading the change in creating inclusive work environments for women. Companies were evaluated on parameters including:
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Recruitment and retention of women professionals
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Representation of women in leadership roles
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Pay equity and benefits
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Parental and caregiving support policies
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Flexible work arrangements
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Management accountability on DEI
This year’s winners represent diverse sectors, from technology and manufacturing to retail, and financial services.
The 2025 Top 10 Best Companies in Gulf, listed alphabetically are:
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A A Al Moosa Enterprises Car Rental Division (Thrifty & Dollar)
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Al Shirawi Facilities Management LLC
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Diversey- A Solenis Company
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DKHOON AL EMIRATIA
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Easa Salel Al Gurg Group
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Ecolab
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EY
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Finastra UK Limited
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KONE MIDDLE EAST LLC
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TruKKer
Nine more companies qualified to feature in the list. Listed alphabetically, they are:
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Apparel Group
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Beauty Steps
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Canon Middle East
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CBRE Advisory Services LLC
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GIG GULF Insurance
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House of Shipping Management Consultancies FZCO
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Ingram Micro Company
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MCA MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS & MCA AUDITING
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Wipro Limited
Key Highlights are as indicated below:
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Women’s representation in Best Companies is at 33%
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42% of all hires in Best Companies is women
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28% of all women in Best Companies were promoted – this is higher at 34% in Top 10 companies
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95% companies provide leadership training and 79% provide formal mentoring and 79% provide executive coaching, all contributing to this facet of career advancement.
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Towards enabling women’s engagement, 63% companies have employee resource groups
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Towards ensuring equity in career advancement, 63% best companies provide assured performance rating during paid maternity leave
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Towards fostering emotional support, 63% offer postpartum stress/depression counselling
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95% companies foster an inclusive culture through programs to resolve Diversity, Equity & Inclusion grievances
Please note the winners of 2025 BCWG are listed alphabetically
www.avtarinc.com/enrich/best-companies-for-women-in-gulf-bcwg_new
Commenting on the occasion, Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Founder-President, Avtar Group, said, “As the Best Companies for Women in Gulf (BCWG) study completes its second edition in the Gulf Co-operation Council, we are delighted to see the commitment to gender inclusion, growing in the region. Best companies, hailing from across industry sectors have instituted comprehensive inclusion frameworks, to ensure women’s advancement is recognised as a strategic growth priority. From leadership training to coaching, mentoring and sponsorship, these organizations promote a culture of allyship and advocacy alongside creating equitable pathways for career growth. By fostering opportunities for women to excel, lead, and thrive, the best companies have set a gold standard for progressive organizations in the region, inspiring the larger business ecosystem. We are proud to honour these frontrunners!”
Subha V. Barry, President, Seramount, said, “Seramount and Avtar share a deep commitment to advancing global inclusion, and we’re proud to celebrate the continued momentum of the Best Companies for Women in the Gulf initiative,” said Subha V. Barry, President of Seramount. “This year’s Top 10 and Best Companies are taking meaningful action to support women in the workplace—through sponsorship, mentorship, ERGs, and benefits that empower talent advancement. These organizations are not only investing in equity, they’re helping shape a more inclusive future of work. At Seramount, we’re honored to recognize their leadership.”
About Avtar
Avtar, founded in 2000 by Dr Saundarya Rajesh, Asia’s leading workplace culture consulting and inclusion solution firms, supporting hundreds of companies in creating inclusive and supportive workplaces. As the earliest firm in the region to provided end to end inclusion solutions, Avtar’s services span a broad spectrum, including culture diagnostics, inclusion enablement trainings, conferences & events and culture-first hiring solutions. For its transformational impact in the realm of DEI, Avtar Group was listed in the prestigious Steward Leadership 25 Listing by Strait Times & INSEAD at Singapore in 2022.
To know more, visit www.avtarinc.com
About Seramount
Seramount is a strategic professional services and research firm dedicated to supporting high-performing, inclusive workplaces. Over four decades, we’ve established a strong, data-driven understanding of the employee experience, which lays the groundwork for everything we do. Seramount partners with over 450 of the world’s most influential companies, large and small, to offer pragmatic solutions including best practice DEI research, workplace assessment, employee learning and development, and talent sourcing. These offerings empower companies to navigate a dynamic corporate environment and to cultivate a resilient, connected workforce that achieves extraordinary outcomes.
To know more, visit www.seramount.com
