Godrej Industries Group has launched Gateway, a return ship programme aimed at helping experienced women professionals re-enter the workforce after career breaks due to marriage, motherhood, caregiving and other life transitions.
The programme was announced by Godrej DEI Lab, the group’s diversity, equity and inclusion arm, at the grand finale of the second edition of India Included on Campus 2026, a case study competition involving leading business schools across India.
According to the group, women currently account for 30% of Godrej Industries’ workforce, while it has committed to achieving 40% inclusion of women, LGBTQIA+ people and persons with disabilities by 2031. Gateway will offer structured onboarding, coaching and cohort-based learning, with the aim of integrating return ship candidates into mainstream hiring.
A study titled “The Missing Half” (2026) found that 74% of educated women in India have taken a career break at some point in their careers, highlighting the challenges of professional re-entry.
XIM Bhubaneswar won the competition for its proposal on creating a structured pathway for women returning to work, receiving a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh. Teams from IIM Lucknow, IIT Delhi and SIBM Pune were also finalists.
In Guwahati, the initiative highlights the potential to tap into experienced women professionals who have taken career breaks. As businesses in Assam expand, structured return ship programmes could help employers access skilled talent while supporting greater workforce participation.
Sumit Mitra, Group Head of Human Resources and Corporate Services at Godrej Industries, said the initiative seeks to make returning to work a more visible and viable career pathway for women.