MAM
StanChart introduces Marathon credit card
MUMBAI: The Standard Chartered Bank, in association with Visa International, has introduced ‘Marathon’ credit card to celebrate the spirit of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.
Standard Chartered Bank India consumer bank head Murali M Natrajan said, “The response that we have received for the Marathon was phenomenal and overwhelming, which is indicative of an increased awareness and keenness about fitness. We at Standard Chartered recognised this trend and have come up with a customer oriented offer. It takes not just the spirit Marathon further, but also seeks to ride on the wave of fitness consciousness that’s the beginning to start. In continuation with our product innovations and many firsts, we are delighted to introduce a credit card that truly celebrates the spirit of the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.”
Standard Chartered Bank is the market leader in sport based affinity card programmes. Its earlier success includes the Cricket Card, the Soccer Card and Olympic Games Card. The Marathon Card is a logical extension of the Standard Chartered Bank product suite. It has partnered with Reebok in its endeavour to promote fitness among the customers. The exclusive offers for the customer include:
Free Reebok Running Shoes: A pair of Reebok 3D Runner Shoes worth Rs 2290 are offered free with every card
Balance Transfer at 0.99 per cent: An attractive balance transfer at a very low interest rate of 0.99 per cent per month, for the first six months,
Supplementary Card free for life: All Marathon card members could gift their near and dear ones supplementary Marathon Credit Cards. These cards are offered free for life,
Win Reebok treadmills: On spending just Rs 900 on the Marathon Credit Card every month, customers get a chance to win Reebok treadmills worth Rs 245,000 each, for a period of eight months.
Standard Chartered Visa Marathon credit cards will be available at a one-time enrollment fee of Rs 1599 and will be issued in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneshwar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Cochin, Coimbatore, Cuttack, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Mysore, New Delhi, Pune, Trivandrum, Vadodara and Vizag.
VISA International country manager South Asia Santanu Mukherjee said, “The Standard Chartered Marathon card is symbolic of the commitment made by thousands of marathoners in the recently concluded Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon. We are delighted to partner with Standard Chartered Bank in launching this commemorative product that symbolises the spirit of freedom and the heart of sport.”
Reebok India Limited MD Subhinder Singh Prem said, “We are pleased to continue our very successful partnership with Standard Chartered through the Marathon Card. Our earlier association on the Olympic Games Card has been very successful and has been received very well by customers. We expect to repeat the same through the Marathon Card.”
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.
