Female Leadership: Structural Conditions and Personal Prerequisite – Leadership Visit & Information Tour to Berlin & Heilbronn, Germany

FLO was invited by the Federal Republic of Germany for a business cum study tour under the Visitors Programme of the Federal Government from March 10 to 16, 2024 . The programme was titled & Female Leadership: Structural Conditions and Personal Prerequisites. & President, Sudha Shivkumar initiated the visit, and it was facilitated by Ms Michaela Kuchler, Consul General of Germany at Chennai.

Five delegates participated in the visit- Jyotsna Angara, GB Member; Ruchika Gupta, GB Member; Bindu Sastry, Member FLO Bangalore; Shriya Damani, Past Chair, YFLO Ahmedabad and Ankurita Pathak, Joint Director, FLO. Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth.

The first meeting was at the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth with Ms Anna Riecken, the Head of the Women in Leadership Unit, Equality Laws. Ms. Riecken has been at the helm of this unit since 2017, focusing on issues related to women in leadership roles.

The dialogue delved into various aspects of the German political structure, existing laws and regulations pertaining to gender equality, as well as the achievements and challenges encountered along the way.

VDU (Verband Deutscher Unternehmerinnen- Association of German Women Entrepreneurs)
The second meeting was held with representatives from The VdU at their office. It is a prominent business association advocating for the interests of women entrepreneurs across all sectors since 1954. Remarkably, their mission closely aligns with that of FLO, sharing similar mandates, work structures, and addressing analogous issues. Our discussion was facilitated by VdU President, Jasmine Arbabian Bird; Evelyne de Gruyter, Managing Director; Kamala Jakubeit, Political Communication Specialist; and Kathrin Fiedler, Political Communications Intern.

Meet & Greet with Indian Ambassador to Germany
In a Meet and Greet session with the Indian Ambassador to Germany, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, he shared insights into the Indo- German relations and the prevailing trade scenario, shedding light on the potential avenues for cooperation between the two nations. He emphasized the significance of organizations like FICCI and FLO in fostering bilateral ties and acknowledged the work carried out by FLO.

Siemens
Seimens hosted a meeting, wherein the delegates got an in-depth understanding of “The Global Gender Equity Programme” by Siemens. Launched in 2021, this programme systematically drives gender equity through all levels of the company, with a bottom up and top-down approach. The target is to have 35 % women in the top leadership positions by 2025. At present it is 31 %.

Luncheon Meeting with Members of German Parliament at German Federal Foreign Office
A luncheon meeting was organised at the Federal Foreign Office, wherein the delegation engaged in a meaningful dialogue. Among them were Karsten Warnecke, Head of Cultural & Societal Relations with Asia, the Pacific, Latin America & the Caribbean; Maria Anna Klein- Schmeink, a longstanding member of Parliament representing the German Greens since 2009; Carina Konrad, a parliamentarian from the Free Democratic Party since 2017; and Laura Leschinski, Desk Officer specializing in India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka affairs.

Workshop by Fair Share of Women Leaders, an NGO
A workshop at the Goethe Institute by Fair Share of Women Leaders, an NGO dedicated was aimed at exploring and promoting alternative forms of governance rooted in feminist values. The organization seeks to challenge traditional power structures, hierarchies, and bureaucratic norms inherent in conventional governance models. During the workshop, Co-Founder Lisa Tatu Hey emphasized the essence of feminist leadership.

SME Future Day organized by the German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses.
Held at the Berlin Station and organized by the German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses (BVMW), the SME Future Day was dedicated to addressing relevant future challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Its primary objective is to provide SMEs with new perspectives, powerful insights, showcase solutions, and create networking opportunities.

Guided tour of the Würth Museum 2
The Wurth Museum in Heilbronn offers an immersive experience that captivates visitors with its diverse collection of art and exhibits. Throughout the tour, the director provided insightful commentary, offering context and interpretation for the artwork on display.

Visit to Campus Founders
The delegates visited an organization called “Campus Founders”, a renowned hub for aspiring entrepreneurs. The visit provided invaluable insights into the entrepreneurial ecosystem and featured an enlightening mentorship session led by an experienced entrepreneur.

Address by First Mayor of Heilbronn Mr. Martin Diepgen
He First Mayor Mr. Martin Diepgen delivered a significant address at the Townhall of Heilbronn. His address covered various aspects of Heilbronn's economic vitality, cultural richness, and quality of life, highlighting the city's status as an important European economic center.

Conference on “Women in Business: Strengthening German Indian Partnerships”, organized by Hochschule Heilbronn, University of Applied Science
Hochschule Heilbronn, University of Applied Sciences, hosted a conference titled & Women in Business: Strengthening German Indian Partnerships." The event aimed to facilitate discussions and exchanges on the role of women in business and their contributions to fostering partnerships between Germany and India. Members of FLO the opportunity to participate and address the session, contributing valuable insights from their subjective experiences in business. Ruchika Gupta, Bindu Sastry, and Shriya Damani participated in the panel discussion. Ankurita Pathak talked about FICCI FLO and its initiatives and Ms. Jyotsna Angara elaborated on FLO FIP Initiative. The session provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing best practices, and forging connections to advance the role of women in business and enhance bilateral partnerships between Germany and India.

HIGHLIGHTS
– The potential for a delegation of VdU members to visit India in 2025, with a specific focus on engaging with women in business. This visit would be facilitated by FLO, fostering further collaboration and knowledge exchange between our respective organizations.
– Possibility to collaborate with Siemens under FLO Digital Initiative, especially in the Centres of Excellence. Siemens is willing to explore this possibility.
– The India Desk of the Federal Foreign Ministry is keen on collaborating with FLO in trade exchanges, speakers for Indo German Summit and other areas of cooperation and collaboration.
– The Ministry of Women and Family Affairs is keen on learning more about FLO Industrial Park and also would like to see theWhite Paper on Care Economy.