For the third consecutive time, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), India’s leading entertainment and sports broadcast network, has been recognized as one of the top 100 companies for women in India in a study by Avtar titled ‘2019-Working Mother & Avtar Best Companies for Women in India’. SPN is the only media and entertainment company to win this laurel.

This is a one-of-its-kind study to identify, share, showcase and celebrate best practices from India’s best employers to increase women workforce participation. The 2019 edition had 357 participating companies from across industries, with the essence of discerning organizations in making their workplace women inclusive and bridging the gap of gender disparities. The evaluation is based on the company’s policies for women’s career advancement, benefits and work life programs, women recruitment and retention, company culture and management accountability.

SPN has always aimed at creating an environment that is conducive to strike the right balance between personal and professional life for all its employees, with a specific focus on gender diversity. Supporting this vision, SPN’s policies include flexible working hours, forward-looking parental support for women like preferential parking for expecting mothers, mother’s room in the premises, to enhanced maternity benefit (for birth, adoption and surrogacy) and free daycare support across all India offices for unhindered career development. With an aim of overcoming Imposter Syndrome, the network introduced innovative initiatives like ‘Live Your Dream’ where they encourage women to realise their personal aspirations by providing financial sponsorship. SPN also prioritizes women’s safety reinstating its stringent anti-sexual harassment policy via regular awareness campaigns.

Comments:

N.P. Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sony Pictures Networks India:
“This recognition is a matter of immense pride for all of us. Women form 30% of our organisation and are at the core of all our initiatives. It is our constant endeavor to protect and promote women’s rights via gender inclusive policies. The consecutive win supplemented by the increase in our women force is a testament of our employee forward policies. We are humbled by this accolade and it has further fostered our commitment to create a nurturing environment for our employees which helps catalyze their career goals.”

Manu Wadhwa, Chief Human Resource Officer, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN):
“Being recognized as the best place for women to work in India, reinforces our efforts towards promoting an inclusive culture and encourages us to contribute towards balancing the equation. SPN as an organisation believes in providing equal growth opportunities and empowers women to excel at fulfilling their multifaceted roles and responsibilities.”

About Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN)
Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation, Japan.

SPN has several channels including Sony Entertainment Television (SET and SET HD), one of India's leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX, India's premium Hindi movies and special events channel; MAX 2, another Hindi movie channel showcasing great India Cinema; MAX HD, a high definition Hindi movie channel airing premium quality films; WAH, the FTA channel for Hindi movies; SAB and SAB HD the family-oriented Hindi comedy entertainment channels; PAL, a genre leader in rural Hindi speaking markets (HSM) showcasing the best of Hindi general entertainment and Hindi movies from SPN’s content library; PIX and PIX HD, the English movie channels; AXN and AXN HD, the channels showcasing the best in Reality, Entertainment and Drama; Sony BBC Earth and Sony BBC Earth HD, the premium factual entertainment channels, Sony AATH, the Bangla entertainment channel; MIX a refreshing Hindi music channel; YAY!, the kids entertainment channel; sports entertainment channels – SONY SIX, SONY SIX HD, SONY ESPN, SONY ESPN HD, SONY TEN 1,  SONY TEN 1 HD, SONY TEN 2, SONY TEN 2 HD, SONY TEN 3, SONY TEN 3 HD; Sony मराठी, the Marathi general entertainment channel; SonyLIV - the digital entertainment VOD platform; SPN Productions, the networks’ film production arm and StudioNEXT the independent production venture for original content and IPs for TV and Digital media. SPN reaches out to over 700 million viewers in India and is available in 167 countries.

The network is recognized as an employer of choice within and outside the media industry. SPN is a recipient of several awards, including the ‘Aon Best Employers India’ Award in recognition of SPN’s unique workplace culture and exceptional people practices, consistently ranking amongst India’s Top 10 Companies with Best Health & Wellness Practices by SHRM & CGP Partners, listed by Working Mother & AVTAR as one of the 100 Best Companies for Women in India and adjudged one of India’s Great Workplaces by the Great Place To Work® Institute.

Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited is in its 24th year of operations in India. It has a subsidiary, MSM-Worldwide Factual Media Private Limited and an affiliate, Bangla Entertainment Private Limited in India.

For more information, log onto www.sonypicturesnetworks.com