‘There is no gender prejudice in our supply chain business’
Hima Parvataneni, CEO, Navata SCS
TAKING FORWARD FAMILY’S LEGACY
Although the group has been around for more than 60 years, Navata SCS was started in 1982. I grew up watching the elders in my family do this work, day in and out. So being part of the industry was also about taking the Navata family legacy forward. The transition was not difficult, and I have not come across any gender discrimination myself, but I have seen many of the women going through it. We should cultivate a culture of publicly addressing workplace prejudice and have a conversation about it.
LOGISTICS IS AN EXCITING BUSINESS
I find supply chain exciting, whether it is in terms of analysing complicated data, solving new and interesting problems, taking quick decisions, or collaborating with multiple stakeholders to get things done. At Navata SCS, we devise new ways to meet our customers’ specific needs. We are a technology-driven, asset-light firm, concentrating on offering end-to-end solutions. We raise awareness of these opportunities. We wish to inform youth, especially engineers, about the prospects that await them in logistics and supply chain industry. We provide free driving school and ITI courses at our Nandigama-based trust in order to encourage those who cannot afford such courses.
WE NEED MORE WOMEN LEADERS
I find supply chain exciting, whether it is in terms of analysing complicated data, solving new and interesting problems, taking quick decisions, or collaborating with multiple stakeholders to get things done
When you mention logistics, the image that immediately comes to mind is of truck drivers eating away at line dhabas. Also, there is a preconceived impression that the sector is unsafe for women. But it is far from the case. As measured by market value and revenue, being diverse has made the firms productive. There are studies citing women to be better managers than men, and gender diverse companies are 27 per cent more likely to create superior value: such companies are likely to earn higher profits. Therefore, the women in the industry are not just “good things” but a profitable ones too. I believe encouraging the women will pave the way for a more gender-neutral business that will appeal to the younger generation.