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Eventbrite, a US Tech company and a global events marketplace that serves event creators and event goers in nearly 180 countries, has been awarded 'The Most Inclusive Organization for Women in Tech in India' 2023 by equality organization Wequity at their annual WITfluence conference at the Radisson Blu in Bengaluru.

The event was held on Wednesday. 

Farheen Mehdi, Eventbrite’s Head of HR for the region along with Aditi Sharma, Engineering Manager, Privacy for Eventbrite India, received the award, felicitated by Geetha Kannan and Divya Ravindranath, founders of Wequity Awards and pioneers for women in tech in India. 

Some of the initiatives Eventbrite has put in place to foster diversity are:

1. Public commitment to reaching 50:50 gender equality 

2. Pay and promote female and ethnically underrepresented employees at an equal rate to their majority peers

3. Regular pay analysis across the organization to ensure equal pay among employees of all races, ethnicities, and genders

4. Internal pay transparency: employees can check the wage bracket for their position and where their own wage falls into it.  

5. Job interview framework that assesses whether potential leaders align with Eventbrite’s  company values and to learn how they plan to build inclusive teams.

6. Creche and Child-care reimbursement

7. Women Leadership program

8. Mentorship program for women

9. Briteling Belonging Groups: employee resource groups specifically for women in tech. (Eventbrite employees are called Britelings)

10. Family friendly Remote Forward Culture: enables employees to decide where they work best, including in office, at home or a combination of both.

11. Britebreak Fridays: designated day off on the first Friday of each month for all employees to relax, recharge and reset. 

12. Monthly flexible working reimbursement to set up and meet home/remote office expenses.

13. Family planning support through Carrot

14. Financial advice through Origin

15. Real-life support and caring for employees’ close relations through Grayce

Farheen Mehdi, Head of HR for Eventbrite India, commented: “We continue to get closer to our shared vision of 50:50 gender parity: 55 per cent of our senior leaders are women and more than 40 per cent of global new hires in 2022 were women, and we are committed to continue on this path towards DEI and pay equity in India”. 

“This award is a testament to Eventbrite’s commitment to building an inclusive company that empowers diverse talents, especially women in tech, to be champions of inclusivity while being able to do great things from anywhere in the country. I view it as paramount to foster an inclusive environment that is safe and supportive where women not only excel but truly thrive,” Mehdi added.

Aditi Sharma is Engineering Manager on the Privacy team for Eventbrite India and works remotely from Bengaluru. On winning the award she said: “Leading a high-performance team in India as a woman is rewarding and sometimes challenging, but that’s not because I’m a woman. I’m responsible for building trust in Eventbrite with millions of event creators and small business owners in more than 180 countries in the world, and that comes with a lot of responsibility. Having said that, not once during my time at Eventbrite have I felt held back or that I was being treated differently for being a woman.” 

Sharma, who joined Eventbrite from a Big Four company said, “One of the key reasons I chose Eventbrite was its flexible first policy -- allowing me to work where I work best and spend more quality time with family at home especially when they need me the most. To me, this flexibility helps me perform consistently at the highest level.”  

Pooja Salot, Engineering Manager in the Admin team, Eventbrite India lives and works from Mumbai. “I love my team and I am still absorbing the fact that women outnumber men in it, something that I have not experienced in any of my previous roles and organizations,” said Pooja. 

“It is extremely rewarding to embrace new technologies to resolve problems and difficult challenges at a company like Eventbrite with a global clientele that continues to broaden my horizons,” added Cherishy Nagpal, an IIM A graduate who recently joined Eventbrite as a Senior Product Manager, and is working remotely from Gurugram.

“There is tremendous scope for growth and visibility at Eventbrite in addition to company sponsored experiential learning opportunities aimed at upskilling women,” said Laba Nawaz in Hyderabad, who has grown from a Programs Specialist (Talent Acquisition/PMO) to an Associate HR Manager within a year at Eventbrite India.

"In our fast-paced, hyper-growth environment, taking a moment to step back and slow down is truly invaluable. As a working mother, I have an even deeper appreciation for 'Britebreaks' as they afford me the precious opportunity to spend quality time with my family, which is truly priceless," Mehdi said. 

“It was an absolute privilege to accept this award on behalf of Eventbrite India. Our commitment to fostering an inclusive culture, where every individual can excel and make meaningful contributions, is at the core of what we do. This recognition reaffirms our dedication to building a workplace where diversity thrives and is celebrated,” Mehdi said.