Taking a big step towards creating an inclusive workplace, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in India has exten... Read More

MUMBAI: Taking a big step towards creating an inclusive workplace, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in India has extended medical hospitalisation benefits to same-sex partners of its employees.

In India, since Section 377 of the penal code criminalises homosexuality, lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender partners are not covered under any insurance scheme. So, RBS India has decided to bear the cost of its liberal move from its profit and loss account.

The policy comes into effect from this April 1, making RBS one of the first companies to take the progressive step. L’Oreal India too offers benefits such as adoption leave or maternity/paternity leave irrespective of the gender of its employees or their partners.

The company recently introduced surrogacy leave, again given irrespective of the partner’s gender.

Companies usually do not extend medical hospitalisation benefits to same-sex partners, but progressive corporate organisations have strongly expressed their intent towards having inclusive workplace policies.

Some organisations have extended spousal benefits like adoption leave, paternity leave and relocation to same-sex partners of their employees.

The challenge, however, is to ensure such initiatives are well within the ambit of the Indian law, which does not recognise same-sex marriage. In 2009, the Delhi high court had decriminalised same-sex relationships.

In 2013, that ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court. Spousal benefits like insurance are thus restricted to opposite-sex spouses.

However, there are UN standards on LGBT which prod companies to extend the same benefits to partners, spouses, children or other dependants of staff members, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or sex characteristics. So, while Google has an LGBT community of employees called Gayglers, RBS has established the RBS Rainbow Network India.

Salesforce India recently launched Outforce, which brings together employees who are allies of equality in sexual orientation and gender identity.

According to Vikas Goel, lead (diversity & inclusion LGBT stream) and head of engineering transformation, core banking & payments, RBS India, the objective behind their move is to mainstream the LGBT community and to protect them from the various challenges they face in society. More such initiatives are in the pipeline, he added.

“We are all aware of the social issues that the LGBT community faces. The attempt is to make them inclusive. We want to encourage our employees to come out freely on their orientation with no reason for fear, judgment or reservation. At the same time, we will ensure that privacy and confidentiality is maintained. Our endeavour is to ensure that we do the right thing and that all our policies treat all our employees equally and give them a fair opportunity to grow,” said Goel.

Employees at RBS India get a health insurance of Rs 8 lakh, which covers his/her spouse, children and aged parents.

The new policy expands the definition of family to cover the partners of LGBT employees as well.

Jnanesh Kumar, director employee success, Salesforce India, said: “We promote open and inclusive culture that empowers employees to bring their whole, authentic selves to work. Along with all our Ohana Groups, Outforce also educates our Salesforce ecosystem on how diversity and inclusion create business success.”

