Women constitute the largest emerging market ever seen: Deloitte

Mumbai: Companies that capitalise on the roles of women are likely to have a better competitive advantage as global economies pull out of recession.

In its recently released report, Gender Dividend, consulting firm Deloitte says that women may well be the dominant source of economic growth in the near future. 

According to the report integrating women into both the workplace and the marketplace leads to the "gender dividend - a steady benefit that is earned by making investments in developing women as workers and potential leaders as well as understanding women as consumers and their impact on the economy and the bottom line."

It also reflects in increased sales, expanded markets, and improved recruitment and retention of a key talent segment.

Says Latha Ramanathan, senior director, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India Private Limited, ''As of June 2010, 29 countries had reached or exceeded the 30-per cent mark in women's representation in parliament; of these 29 countries, at least 24 had used quotas. India with a population of 500 million women does not figure in that list. 

According to Ramanathan, organisations and governments globally are working at policies and enabling institutional arrangements to bring more and more women into the workforce.  These include affirmative actions in the areas of recruitment, retention and board level appointments of publicly listed companies, to flexible working arrangements and child care policies.