MAM
BBC Worldwide beefs up cookware and Lifestyle licensing offer
MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide is upping its cookware and lifestyle offer with plans to launch licensing programmes for in-house properties and through agency deals.
Kirstie Allsopp, BBC GoodFood and Gardener’s World join MasterChef as key brands in BBC Worldwide’s licensing portfolio.
BBC Worldwide senior licensing manager Cassie Allen said, “The cookware and lifestyle markets are substantial areas of growth for us. We have premium brands which have already performed strongly on launch and we’re looking forward now to taking these properties trade-wide and in to more categories.”
Kirstie Allsop launched her debut range of homewares and gifts in Marks & Spencer last year. The M&S range continues into 2012 and BBC Worldwide will be taking the brand trade-wide with new lines including stationery, home fragrance, outdoor products, ceramics and craft sets from September.
The BBC’s commercial arm also launched Gardener’s World product for the first time in Boots in Autumn/Winter 2011. The range includes pruning sets, a barometer, nesting boxes, clocks and gardens tools. Additional products to launch this year include watering cans, a thermos flask and a garden kneeler. Gardener’s World is looking for other opportunities to go trade-wide from Spring/Summer 2013.
BBC GoodFood already has mass awareness across the UK with over three million viewers on the channel; the magazine has a monthly circulation of 300,000 monthly and 3.7 million website users. The GoodFood Show further attracts over 100,000 visitors annually.
BBC Worldwide’s licensing team has been developing the style guide and a phasing plan for GoodFood with ambitions to launch the first range of cookware in early 2013. The team has their sights on signing up new partners on a range of products which include cookware, bakeware, ceramic oven tableware and textiles including aprons, tea towels and oven gloves.
MasterChef and Junior MasterChef product across 40 SKUs launched in John Lewis in 2011 and fast became one of their top 10 cookware licenses. The range will be extending out to a number of independent stores and cookware specialists this year.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
