People Advisory · Business & Human Rights · DEI

Gender Audit Services

for a More Equitable Workplace

An independent, evidence-based assessment of how gender equity shows up — or doesn’t — across your organisation’s policies, pay, culture, leadership, and supply chain.

Consultivo at a Glance

14 +

Years in People Advisory

20 +

Industry Sectors Covered

1000 +

Audit & Consulting Assignments

300 +

Locations Across the Globe

What is a Gender Audit?

Standards & Frameworks

Why Consultivo

FAQs

Get in Touch

What You Get

Six things our Gender Audit delivers for your organisation

We go beyond box-ticking. Our gender audit is a structured, independent process that gives you a clear, actionable picture of where your organisation stands — and exactly how to improve.

An Independent Baseline Assessment

An objective, evidence-based measurement of where your organisation currently sits on gender equity — across every function and level.

Gap Identification Across Key Dimensions

Clear identification of gaps in hiring, promotion, pay, safety, grievance mechanisms, and leadership representation — with evidence, not assumptions.

A Gender Maturity Score & Rating

A structured maturity rating using a proprietary framework, benchmarked against sector peers and international standards.

A Detailed Audit Report

A comprehensive written report with findings, root-cause analysis, and prioritised recommendations — ready for board, investor, and ESG disclosure use.

A Time-bound Improvement Roadmap

A practical, prioritised action plan with short-, medium-, and long-term steps — so your team knows exactly what to do next.

ESG & BRSR-Ready Disclosures

Findings structured for direct use in GRI, BRSR, DJSI, CSRD, and other ESG reporting frameworks — saving your team significant effort at disclosure time.

Consultivo's Unique Position

We are one of the very few firms in India that brings gender audit expertise both inside the enterprise and within communities — including CSR, development, and supply chain contexts.

IFC World Bank Group Approved

Corporate + Community Coverage

Understanding Gender Audit

What is a Gender Audit?

“A gender audit is a systematic, evidence-based review of an organisation’s policies, practices, culture, and outcomes — through a gender lens — to identify inequities and develop strategies to address them.”

Put simply, a gender audit asks: Is this organisation genuinely equitable for people of all genders — not just on paper, but in practice?

It looks at how gender dynamics play out in recruitment, promotions, pay, leadership pipelines, workplace safety, grievance mechanisms, and the broader culture. It is distinct from — though related to — a gender pay gap report, which focuses specifically on compensation data.

A gender audit is suitable for any organisation that wants to go beyond compliance and build a genuinely inclusive, high-performing workplace. Increasingly, it is also a tool for demonstrating commitment to investors, customers, and regulators through ESG disclosures and gender pay gap reporting.

A gender audit is NOT just about pay

While gender pay gap reports focus on compensation data, a gender audit is far broader. It examines:

Hiring, selection, and onboarding practices
Promotion, appraisal, and career progression
Leadership representation at all levels
Workplace safety & dignity (POSH compliance)
Maternity, paternity, and leave policies
Grievance and redressal mechanisms
Supplier and supply chain gender practices
Community & CSR gender impact (where applicable)

Need specific data on pay disparities? Explore our dedicated Gender Pay Gap Report service, or ask us about combining both into a single engagement.

GLOBAL Experience

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Who Is This For?

Organisations that benefit most from a Gender Audit

Gender equity is a business priority across sectors. Whether driven by regulation, investor expectations, or a genuine commitment to inclusion, here is where our gender audit adds the most value.Gender equity is a business priority across sectors. Whether driven by regulation, investor expectations, or a genuine commitment to inclusion, here is where our gender audit adds the most value.

Our role goes beyond advisory. We work as independent improvement partners, combining technical depth, sector understanding, and ethical governance.

Audit Scope

Eight dimensions we examine in a Gender Audit

Our gender auditing methodology covers the full spectrum of gender equity — from formal policies to lived experience on the ground. Scope is tailored to your organisation’s size, sector, and reporting requirements.

Governance & Policy Framework

Review of gender equity policies, DEI strategy, board-level commitments, and code of conduct.

Equal opportunity policy

DEI strategy

Board diversity

Talent Acquisition & Onboarding

Assessment of job descriptions, selection processes, interview panels, and onboarding experience for gender bias.

Job descriptions

Hiring panels

Selection criteria

Pay & Benefits Equity

Analysis of compensation structures, bonus distribution, and benefit access — linked to our Gender Pay Gap Report service for deeper statistical analysis.

Base pay

Bonuses

Benefits access

Career Progression & Leadership

Evaluation of promotion rates, high-potential identification, mentoring access, and gender representation across leadership levels.

Promotion data

Leadership pipeline

Sponsorship

Workplace Safety & Dignity

POSH compliance review, prevention of sexual harassment mechanisms, safe facilities, and incident reporting culture.

POSH compliance

Safe facilities

Incident reporting

Leave, Flexibility & Wellbeing

Assessment of maternity, paternity, adoption, and caregiver leave policies, flexible working provisions, and wellbeing support.

Maternity/paternity leave

Flexible working

Wellbeing

Supply Chain & Contractor Workforce

Gender equity assessment extending to contractor workers, supply chain partners, and vendor workforces.

Contractor gender rights

Supply chain audit

Vendor code

Community & CSR Gender Impact

For organisations with community programmes, we assess the gender impact of CSR and development initiatives.

CSR gender lens

Community impact

SDG 5 alignment

Our Methodology

How our Gender Audit works — step by step

A structured, transparent process designed to be rigorous without being disruptive to your operations.

Our role goes beyond advisory. We work as independent improvement partners, combining technical depth, sector understanding, and ethical governance.

Scoping & Customisation

We align the audit scope, timelines, and methodology to your sector, size, and specific reporting needs.

Document Review

Deep review of policies, HR data, pay structures, board composition, grievance records, and existing DEI reports.

On-site Assessment & Interviews

Structured interviews with leadership, HR, and employees across levels, functions, and genders — on-site or hybrid.

Thermographic imaging of all critical panels, feeders and terminations.
Fire safety walkthrough (detection, suppression, egress, storage, housekeeping).
Mock Drill

Analysis & Benchmarking

Data is analysed against our gender audit checklist, sector benchmarks, and international standards.

Report & Roadmap Delivery

Comprehensive audit report with maturity score, prioritised recommendations, and ESG-ready disclosures.

Gender Audit Checklist

A comprehensive checklist — the backbone of every gender audit

Our gender audit checklist is built on years of field experience across 20+ industry sectors and is aligned to the UN Guiding Principles, GRI standards, SA 8000, and ISO 30415:2021.

It covers over 150 check points across governance, employment, safety, pay, and community dimensions. Each item is assessed, evidenced, and rated — giving you a clear maturity picture, not just a list of yes/no answers.

Clients frequently ask us for a gender audit checklist PDF to reference internally. We share this as part of every engagement, so your team can track progress between audits.

Gender Audit Checklist — Sample Extract

Consultivo · Proprietary Framework · GRI / ISO 30415 Aligned

Section 1 · Governance & Policy

Section 2 · Recruitment & Selection

Section 3 · Pay Equity

Section 4 · Workplace Safety & Dignity

Gender Equality in the Workplace: A Strategic Imperative for Modern Organisations

Codes, Standards & Guidelines

Built on internationally recognised frameworks

Our gender audit methodology is anchored in the most credible international standards and guidelines — giving your findings global legitimacy and making them directly usable in ESG, gender pay gap reporting, and sustainability disclosures.

United Nations

UN Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights (UNGPs)

The global baseline for responsible business conduct. Our gender audit is aligned to the three pillars: protect, respect, and remedy.

United Nations

UN SDG 5 — Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment

Findings are mapped to SDG 5 targets, enabling reporting on your organisation’s contribution to global gender equality goals.

UN Global Compact Principles 1–6

Covering human rights and labour rights, including non-discrimination and equal opportunity — directly referenced in our audit protocol.

UN Global Compact

UNDP Gender Equality Seal

Our audit methodology references the UNDP Gender Equality Seal framework, used widely in development and public sector contexts.

UNDP

ILO Conventions — Non-discrimination & Equal Remuneration

ILO Convention 100 (Equal Remuneration) and Convention 111 (Discrimination) are core references in our pay and employment equity assessments.

ILO

ISO 30415:2021 — Human Resource Management: Diversity & Inclusion

The international standard for DEI in HR management. Our audit checklist maps directly to ISO 30415 requirements and good practice guidance.

ISO

GRI Standards — GRI 401, 405, 406 & Sector Standards

GRI 405 (Diversity & Equal Opportunity) and GRI 406 (Non-discrimination) form the backbone of our reporting structure. Findings are ready for GRI-based sustainability reports.

GRI

BRSR (Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting)

Our gender audit outputs are structured to feed directly into BRSR Principle 5 (Human Rights) and Principle 6 (Environment) disclosures for listed companies in India.

SEBI India

SA 8000 Standard — Social Accountability

SA 8000’s requirements on non-discrimination and freedom from harassment are embedded in our workplace safety and dignity assessment module.

Social Accountability

ETI Base Code & SMETA

For supply chain and sourcing contexts, we align to the Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code and SEDEX SMETA audit methodology.

ETI

IFC Performance Standards

As IFC-approved independent consultants, we apply IFC Performance Standards on labour and working conditions, including gender-specific protections.

World Bank

POSH Act, 2013 & Indian Labour Codes

Our audit ensures compliance with the Prevention of Sexual Harassment Act and applicable Indian labour legislation governing equal opportunity.

India Law

Why Consultivo

What makes Consultivo the right gender audit partner?

There are several gender audit companies in India. Here is what sets Consultivo apart.

IFC (World Bank Group) Approved Independent Consultant

An objective, evidence-based measurement of where your organisation currently sits on gender equity — across every function and level.

Corporate + Community Dual Expertise

We work both inside organisations and in community/development contexts — including CSR projects, tea plantation workforces, and agribusiness supply chains. No other Indian firm offers this combination.

14+ Years of People Advisory Experience

Over a decade of gender and human rights work across 20+ industry sectors — from manufacturing and mining to pharma, retail, and financial services.

ESG & BRSR Reporting Integration

Our gender audit outputs are structured to feed directly into GRI, BRSR, DJSI, CSRD, and other ESG frameworks — cutting your disclosure workload significantly.

Multi-Country Experience

Active across 10+ countries. Our team has delivered gender-related assignments in India, South Asia, Africa, and Southeast Asia — for MNCs and Indian conglomerates alike.

Independent & Unbiased

As an independent third-party consultant with no commercial interest in your outcomes, our findings carry the credibility that internal reviews cannot.

Let's Get Started

Ready to understand your organisation's gender equity position?

Whether you are preparing for ESG disclosure, responding to investor requirements, or simply committed to building a better workplace — we can help. Contact our team for a no-obligation conversation about scope and approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Questions? We have answers.

What is a gender audit, and how is it different from a gender pay gap report?

A gender audit is a comprehensive, organisation-wide assessment of gender equity — covering policies, culture, hiring, promotions, safety, pay, and more. A gender pay gap report focuses specifically on compensation data, quantifying the pay difference between men and women in your organisation. The two are complementary: the gender audit identifies systemic issues, while the pay gap report measures one specific dimension with statistical precision. Many organisations benefit from combining both as part of a Gender Equity Suite — ask us about bundled options.

Is a gender audit mandatory for companies in India?

A standalone gender audit is not yet mandated by Indian law for most companies. However, SEBI’s BRSR (Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting) framework — mandatory for the top 1,000 listed companies — requires disclosure of gender-disaggregated data on employment, pay, and leadership. A gender audit provides the underlying evidence needed to make these disclosures credible and defensible. For companies with global buyers, supply chain relationships, or international investors, a gender audit is increasingly an expectation, not just a choice.

How long does a gender audit typically take?

Timelines depend on the scope, number of sites, and size of the workforce. A single-site gender audit for a medium-sized organisation typically takes 3–6 weeks from kick-off to final report delivery. Multi-site or supply chain audits may take 6–12 weeks. We always discuss timelines during scoping so there are no surprises. Contact us to get a tailored estimate for your context.

What industries has Consultivo conducted gender audits in?

Our gender auditing and broader human rights work spans more than 20 industry sectors, including steel and metal manufacturing, tea and agribusiness, apparel, mineral mining, construction, oil & gas, pharmaceutical, retail, logistics, and financial services. We have worked across India and internationally — and we have delivered gender-related work in both large multinational corporations and smaller community-based organisations.

Can we get a gender audit checklist PDF in advance?

Yes. We share a sample gender audit checklist with prospective clients so that your team can understand the scope and begin an internal self-assessment before the formal engagement begins. Clients who commission a full audit receive the complete, sector-specific checklist as part of the engagement deliverables — including a version they can use for internal monitoring between audit cycles. Contact us to request a sample.

How does a gender audit support ESG and gender pay gap reporting

Gender equity is a key component of the “S” in ESG. Our gender audit produces findings and data that map directly to GRI 401/405/406, BRSR Principle 5, DJSI social criteria, CSRD (EU) requirements, and investor ESG questionnaires. The audit also produces the gender-disaggregated workforce data needed for gender pay gap reports. By running both together, organisations save significant time and cost at the ESG disclosure stage — rather than gathering data separately for each framework.

Do you audit gender equity in CSR and community programmes?

Yes — and this is one of Consultivo’s most distinctive capabilities. Many of our clients want to assess not just how gender equity works within their organisation, but also the gender impact of their CSR projects, development programmes, and supply chain communities. Our community gender assessments apply a gender lens to project design, beneficiary reach, and social outcomes — using UNDP Gender Equality Seal and SDG 5 frameworks. This is particularly relevant for companies in agribusiness, mining, and manufacturing with significant community touchpoints.

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About Consultivo

Consultivo is one of the leading ESG Consultants in India

An Advisory, Research, Audit & Training organisation helping global businesses in the areas of Sustainability, Business Excellence & Risk Management both at the strategic and operational levels.

Major service verticals include Safety, Sustainability, Environment & Energy, CSR, Management Systems, Organisational Development and Human Capital Development. Consultivo works with 100+ National and International Sustainability related codes, standards and guidelines.

Apart from Independent External Assurance, as a leading ESG Consultant based in India, Consultivo offers ESG Materiality Assessment and Strategy Consulting, ESG Implementation Handholding, Stakeholder Mapping and Engagement, ESG, Sustainability and BRSR Report Preparation and ESG Report Design.

Consultivo Academy offers training and capacity building services both in conventional and new age e-learning platforms.

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