Wells Fargo Introduces Veterans Program In India As Part Of D&I
Wells Fargo EGS (India) recently launched the India chapter of its global Veterans’ Team Member Network (VTMN) as part of the company’s diversity and inclusion agenda. The VTMN provides Wells Fargo’s veteran team members with opportunities for personal and professional development, mentoring, leadership engagement, networking, and community outreach.
Wells Fargo currently has more than 8,400 self-identified veteran team members globally, including over 100 active military service members on leave. Wells Fargo’s assurance to veterans doesn’t end once a job offer is made but the company strives to support and nurture them throughout their careers.
Speaking about the initiative, Arindam Banerrji, managing director of Wells Fargo EGS (India) said, “Wells Fargo has been supporting military veterans and their families by hiring and retaining military veterans, veterans with disabilities, and active military personnel. We are committed to bringing our 160 year legacy of veteran hiring to India with three significant strategies which include increasing accessibility and outreach to the veteran community, building a platform for advocacy and creating awareness by bridging the gap between veterans and corporates.”
Each year, thousands of highly skilled members of the Indian Armed Forces leave active duty and re-integrate into civilian life. Recognizing the value of the skills and experience that these veterans bring to the table, Wells Fargo aims to attract more veterans to join the organization. In a departure from the more commonly adopted approach of integrating veterans in Security and Facilities, Wells Fargo currently has veterans who are contributing across functions such as Risk Management, IT, Supply Chain, HR, Communications, Analytics, Information Security and Infrastructure, in addition to Security and Facilities.
Commander Parthajit Panda (retired), who is the head strategic initiatives for Wells Fargo EGS (India) says, “Being a Navy veteran myself, the opportunity to imbibe corporate norms and interact with diverse cultures made the transition to corporate life more exciting for me. The commitment to excel and the integrity brought by the veterans make them stand out. Often we do not correlate military experiences with corporate life. At Wells Fargo, the program is very effective as we support veterans by helping them understand their capabilities and strengths to figure out the role that would suit them best and then help them grow in that field.”
In an effort to strengthen the intersection between military and corporate life for veterans, Wells Fargo is actively working with government bodies such as Director General Resettlement (DGR) of the Army, Commodore Bureau of Sailors (CABS) of the Navy, Air Force Record Office (AFRO) of the Air Force, Zila Sainik Boards and leading educational institutions and private agencies that focus on veteran reintegration.
