ITC believes that diversity and inclusion at the workplace promotes an environment conducive to engagement, fosters and enhances the overall quality of decision making, and problem solving, and therefore enhances the quality of discourse within the Company. 'Respect for People' one of ITC's core values specifically draws attention to this aspect:

• We are result oriented, setting high performance standards for ourselves as individuals and teams.
• We will simultaneously respect and value people and uphold humanness and human dignity.
• We acknowledge that every individual brings different perspectives and capabilities to the team and that a strong team is founded on a variety of perspectives.
• We want individuals to dream, value differences, create and experiment in pursuit of opportunities and achieve leadership through teamwork.

ITC is committed to promoting diversity and offering equal opportunity to all employees based on merit and ability and ensuring that there is no discrimination amongst its employees in compensation, training and employee benefits, based on caste, religion, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, colour, ancestry, marital status or affiliation with a political, religious or union organization or majority/minority group.

ITC has provided special impetus to programmes directed at enhancing gender diversity in the workforce. As an illustration, several of ITC's Integrated Consumer Goods Manufacturing & Logistics facilities represent benchmark levels of diversity in the industry. Similarly, ITC's Hotels Division is amongst the leading employers in the industry on gender diversity and an employer of People with Disabilities. The Life Science and Technology Centre is another exemplar of gender diversity in addition to various other functions in several of ITC's Businesses.

To support its Diversity goals, the Company has instituted several policies which provide for flexible work arrangements and recognize that enablement promotes representation. These include policies which enable Work from Home including special provisions for expectant mothers and women with young children, Extended Child Care Leave, Child and Caregiver Travel Support, Paternity Leave, special accommodation arrangements for women, Medical benefits for same gender partners and secure transport where required.

Targeted professional development programs, wellness programs, sensitization workshops, inputs to enhance understanding and working with unconscious bias are some of the initiatives ITC has taken to develop and nurture diverse talent and promote inclusive behaviors within work groups. Employee Resource Groups as well as Diversity Councils have been established to foster conversations around workforce diversity and help the Company to continue to take proactive measures in fostering an inclusive climate.

ITC is dedicated to promoting gender diversity and inclusion in the workforce, as well as fostering participation of differently-abled individuals. As part of their commitment, the company takes supportive actions to ensure equity in the workplace. Notably, ITC's recruitment efforts from premier campuses have resulted in diversity ratios that surpass the prevailing norms in those institutions. For instance, the gender diversity ratio for the 2024 batch of Assistants Under Training stands at an impressive 43%, though the diversity ratio of the batch on campus is significantly lower.

To drive the recruitment of a diverse talent pool, ITC has implemented key initiatives.

• Adhyapana Initiative is a comprehensive skill development program specifically designed to enhance the skills of local female talent in the field of food processing. The program focuses on developing competencies related to specialized production and value-addition activities. Its ultimate goal is to bridge existing skill gaps and empower individuals, ultimately contributing to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
• ITC visits regional all-women campuses, to recruit for specific trades like fitter, electrician, and mechanist.
• To increase the women's presence in frontline sales at the sales trainee pool levels, ITC visits all-women's campuses to hire sales trainees, who are trained and absorbed basis performance.

These are some of the many initiatives undertaken by ITC to build a more inclusive and diverse organization.