New Delhi, June 14 (IANS): Despite ongoing macroeconomic challenges, India is setting a new precedent with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) hiring (LGBTQIA+, women, and persons with disabilities), as the country witnessed 30 to 35 per cent rise in diversity hiring over the past five years, new data showed on Friday.

NLB Services, a global technology and digital talent solutions provider, has also observed a 10-15 per cent increase in the hiring of LGBTQIA+ talent alone over the past 3-4 years.

In terms of sector-wise hiring, the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector employs the largest percentage of LGBTQIA+ talent of the available workforce at 18-20 per cent, followed by the IT sector at 15-18 per cent, and the consulting sector at 12-15 per cent.

Major Tier 1 cities are leading in hiring across diverse groups based on job share percentages, but Tier 2 cities like Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Kochi, and Lucknow are also making significant progress in promoting LGBTQIA+ talent recruitment, said Sachin Alug, CEO, NLB Services.

This emphasis on inclusivity is creating more representative workforces and fostering professional environments that encourage innovation and resilience, he added.

In addition, Alug noticed that clients are increasingly highlighting the hiring of talent from the LGBTQIA+ community, aiming to build more inclusive and representative teams.