{
  "id": 13917243,
  "title": "CII Launches India Wellbeing Charter, Neerja Birla Calls For Employee Welfare To Drive Business Growth",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/12/cii-launches-india-wellbeing-charter-neerja-birla-calls-for-employee",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-12T08:19:58.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/press-release/cii-launches-india-wellbeing-charter-neerja-birla-calls-for-employee-welfare-to-drive-business-growth"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai's CII has introduced the India Wellbeing Charter, advocating for employee wellness as a primary business concern rather than confining it to conventional wellness programs. The Charter was unveiled at the CII India Wellbeing Summit 2026 in Mumbai, gathering industry leaders, human resource experts and wellness specialists.\n\nNeerja Birla, Chairperson of Aditya Birla Education Trust and Vision Chair of the CII India Wellbeing Initiative, emphasized that organisations must acknowledge the bond between employee wellbeing and enduring business success. \"The question for us today is not whether we choose performance or wellbeing. It is how we create organizations that sustain both,\" she stated.\n\nBirla stressed that employee welfare should impact workplace architecture, leadership choices, technological integration, and organizational culture. She added that businesses must strike a balance between performance goals and measures that safeguard employees' capability to sustain productivity over time.\n\nAccording to a survey by Sudakshina Bhattacharya, President and Chief Human Resources Officer at HDFC ERGO General Insurance, conducted in collaboration with the CII, 86 percent of participants experienced happiness at work, while 66 percent highlighted physical well-being as an area needing more focus. Bhattacharya stressed that employee well-being should be incorporated into boardroom discussions concerning productivity, business risks, and organizational advancement.\n\nBhattacharya pointed out that leadership practices, workload management, and employee recognition directly affect workplace experiences. Citing World Health Organisation estimates, she highlighted that depression and anxiety cause 12 billion lost working days globally annually, leading to productivity losses of around USD 1 trillion. HDFC ERGO's internal analysis also revealed that high-performing employees who participated in wellbeing sessions experienced a 4 percent increase in retention.\n\nThe CII India Wellbeing Charter urges businesses to set quantifiable commitments, enhance workplace practices, and continuously evaluate employee experiences. The Charter also aims to extend well-being initiatives beyond corporate offices to manufacturing units, MSMEs, frontline workers, and shift workers. The Summit, themed \"Building Thriving Organisations for a Resilient India,\" focuses on leadership, workplace culture, financial confidence, nutrition, and sustainable organizational performance.",
  "summary": "Mumbai: The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has launched the India Wellbeing Charter, urging companies to make employee wellbeing a core business priority rather than limiting it to traditional wellness programmes. The Charter was unveiled at the inaugural CII India Wellbeing Summit 2026 in Mumbai, bringing together industry leaders, human resource professionals and wellbeing experts.…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}