1.
Manjari Das
– Doctoral Scholar at the Indian Institute of Management Ranchi, India.
2.
Angshuman Hazarika
– Assistant Professor in the Legal Studies & Liberal Arts & Sciences, Indian Institute of Management Ranchi, India.
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between
board gender diversity and the articulation
of workplace equity and voice
in Indian listed firms from an institutional
perspective. Drawing on publicly availabl
e Busi ne ss Re sponsi bi l i t y and
Sustainability Reports and corporate governance
disclosures, the study adopts a
comparative case-based design focusing
on Hindustan Unilever Limited and Tata
Steel Limited, which operate in contrasting
industrial relations contexts. Rather
than treating board gender diversity as a
direct driver of improved employee outcomes,
the analysis conceptualises governance
reforms as filters interacting with
existing employment relations systems. The
findings indicate that similar board-level
mandates are associated with divergent
workpl ace ex pressi ons of equi ty and
voice, shaped by sectoral characteristics,
workforce composition, and institutionalized
voice mechanisms.
