Britannia's Madurai unit mulls increase in women workforce

Madurai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 8 : India's leading FMCG brand Britannia's Madurai unit is mulling an increase of its women workforce to 70 per cent by 2024, an official unit release stated.
Located in Madurai's Nagari, Britannia's factory has over 900 women working with special privileges offered to women coming from the economically weaker segment.
The company's Madurai unit has about 1,400 workers, 65 per cent of whom are women. The plan to restructure the company's workforce to increase women's contribution to 70 per cent by next year comes as the plant produces 190 tonnes of various food products per day.
Madurai unit head, Suresh, detailed the functioning of the plant and highlighted the unit's inclination towards hiring women from the economically backward sections.
He said, "The plant is operational 24/7 in three shifts and works with more than 65 per cent of women employees. We have ensured their utmost safety and security while working in the factory. Women from economically backward sections come to work in the factory."
"The women by nature are much better when it comes to hygiene and that's more critical for a food factory. So we are ensuring to bring the right and safe product for the community by keeping more responsible people in operation" he added.
Meena Priya, who has been working at the unit for 12 years, said, "I have been working here for 12 years. More than 900 women got an opportunity to earn a livelihood because of this factory."
With over one lakh employees across 15 company-owned manufacturing plants, and with 35 contract and franchise units across India, Britannia Industries is looking to increase its female workforce to 50 per cent by 2024 from the current 41 per cent.
"At a national level, Britannia aims to achieve a total diversity ratio of 50% from the current 41% by end of 2024, by increasing the participation of women in its workforce," the official release by the Madurai unit stated.