HGS

Environmental and social governance (ESG)


HGS pledges to become a net-zero emission enterprise by 2035

HGS is dedicated to being both a successful business and a contributing member of the communities where we operate. As a corporate citizen, HGS recognizes its responsibility to effect positive changes for individuals, communities, and the planet.

HGS Sustainability

We are constantly striving to minimize our environmental footprint and maximize planet-positive actions by adopting eco-friendly operations and initiatives – both “within the fence” (at our own facilities) and “around the fence” (in the immediate vicinity of our locations). To fulfill our net-zero commitment by 2035, we are actively engaged in carbon-reduction efforts to optimize energy use, while increasing our infrastructure efficiency across the globe.

The various measures we’re implementing include:

  • Increasing the virtualization speed of our server infrastructure to reduce emissions across our data centers.
  • Rationalizing infrastructure as we move to new sites or update existing premises to increase energy efficiency.
  • Increasing renewable energy sources to support our business endeavors.
  • Advancing water-management activities both within our locations and in the communities we serve. HGS continues to support various long-term water-management projects for communities through multiple water-body rejuvenation and management projects.
  • Facilitating working from home to reduce the commuting needs of our 20,000+ employees.
  • Offsetting the carbon footprint from employee business travel.
  • Analyzing and updating our supply chain to work with responsible partners around the globe.

Community development and social outreach


The HGS social outreach agenda is central to the company’s priorities. Social impact is actioned through:

  1. Corporate funding
    Sponsoring, monitoring, and evaluating social projects
  2. Employee volunteering
    Individual actions

$4M invested

Since the formal inception of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) program in 2014, HGS has invested over $4 million to benefit the communities around its operations.

30,000+ volunteers

HGS also has a robust employee volunteering culture that has engaged over 30,000+ volunteers globally since the beginning of the Work to Give program.

200,000 lives impacted

Through this two-pronged approach, HGS is able to positively impact over 200,000 lives each year. We extensively report on our community initiatives as part of our annual report.

Image of some school girls each holding a water bottle

HGS corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts are focused on bringing a positive change in the areas of:

  • Clean water access
  • Education
  • Community health
  • Work skills and employment
  • Empowerment of persons with disability (PwD)
  • Integrated rural development programs

Sustainability governance


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CSR Team

  • Identify CSR projects and recommend to CSR Forum
  • On-ground monitoring and evaluation of CSR projects

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CSR Forum

  • Qualify CSR projects to be recommended to the CSR Committee
  • Advise CSR Team on M&E

Deeper Insights

CSR Committee

  • Qualify CSR projects to be recommended to the Board of Directors
  • Direction on statutory CSR compliances

Deeper Insights

Board of Directors

  • Review projects submitted by the CSR Committee
  • Grant CSR project funds

Our sustainability governance structure – with its cross-functional representation and a direct line to the Board of Directors – provides a foundation for developing and implementing our sustainability strategy and aiding strong monitoring and evaluation.

HGS achieves its social impact goals through corporate funding and employee volunteering, both of which have a governance process in place.

The CSR Team and the CSR Forum monitor the progress of approved CSR projects and provide monthly updates on the status of implementation, expenditure incurred (or to be incurred), and the beneficiaries of each project to the CSR Committee and to the Board.

In terms of the corporate social program, a dedicated CSR Team is engaged in identifying projects which are in line with the social priority areas of HGS. A CSR Forum, consisting of senior HGS employees, evaluates CSR projects and makes recommendations for consideration by the CSR Committee. The CSR Committee reviews the recommended projects and the expenditure involved. The CSR Committee then recommends their selected projects to the Board of Directors for approval. The Board reviews and approves the final CSR projects recommended by the CSR Committee.

In addition to annual audited financial reports submitted by the implementation partner, NGOs are also required to submit a monthly utilization report to ensure the judicious utilization of funds. A report on all CSR activities is also a part of the HGS annual report.

HGS team members discussion

Strengthening a culture of diversity and inclusion


At HGS, we are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace with employees of every gender, sexual orientation, race, age, nationality, attitude, and experience – regardless of disability or impairment. We are continually learning and growing to fully achieve and embrace our vision: “Together, We Progress.”


Inclusion is ingrained in our DNA, and it is a critical requirement for us to operate as a business. We know firsthand that an inclusive and diverse workforce is better equipped to create innovative business solutions and deliver extraordinary customer experiences. We are very proud to be a people-first organization and a preferred partner for our clients.

500
PARENTS

BENEFITTED FROM EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS

14,105
PARTICIPANTS

COMPLETED DISABILITY AND BIAS E-MODULES

50+
SIGN LANGUAGE STUDENTS

TRAINED BY INTERNAL TEAM MEMBERS

1,500
TRAINEES

THROUGH 48 D&I SENSITIZATION SESSIONS

#1
GLOBAL D&I CHARTER

LAUNCHED IN THE WORLD

150
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

ONBOARDED AT HGS

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LGBTQ+

  • Inclusion of same-sex partners for medical coverage
  • Annual Pride campaigns, messaging, and activities
  • Ally-ship messaging from company leadership
  • LGBTQ+ oriented sensitization sessions
  • LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group to ensure inclusive policies and practices across locations and geographies

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Gender equity

  • Organizational hiring targets established to ensure balanced gender diversity ratio
  • PathbreakHers program to advance leaders who are women
  • Agrima women’s professional development program
  • Coffee with Leaders sessions
  • Resume maternity connect program
  • Inspire program focused on the personal development of women employees
  • Global Women’s Leadership Network
  • Parenting support sessions

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People with disabilities

  • 150 PwD hired
  • Created process to establish reasonable accommodations for PwD
  • Sensitization of PwD inclusion through 4+ training e-modules
  • Annual celebration and initiatives to mark Internal Sign Language Day and International Persons with Disabilities
  • Additional social programs

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Compliance

  • 1961 Maternity Benefit Act and its amendments
  • 2016 Persons with Disability Act and Rules and its amendments
  • 2017 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) Act
  • Harmonized guidelines on space and inclusivity of LGBTQ+ and persons with disabilities

For a more inclusive society, we commit to constantly evolving our business and creating a culture of belonging – where everyone is inspired to contribute their best work.

Together, we progress


Please reach out to us if you’d like to learn more about our sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and community development practices.

HGS