CxO Interview with Sabahat Bokhari, Head of Diversity and Inclusion Jazz
Tell us about yourself, how did you reach there?
I am a D&I expert and organizational development professional to the core. OD has been my earliest passion and though it has taken many forms including diversity and inclusion; culture, change management, and developing organizations to achieve their best potential is all that I enjoy and have done all my career. I have done my MS in Management and my research focus remained on organizational performance and how various factors including diverse human capital, talent practices, and strategies in the organization come together to drive business success.
During two decades of my career so far, I have worked in the field of DEIB & Gender Inclusion as well as HR & OD across various sectors including textile, telecommunication, banking, education, engineering, construction & management consulting in leading private and public sector organizations.
I possess global DEIB practice and inclusive leadership certification and have also served on the Forbes Human Resource Council. Currently on the board of Human Centric Labs USA as D&I and talent advisor. I am also a certified board director. Looking back at how my career has taken these turns, I feel that there has been a constant desire to evolve and do something for a bigger audience and that helped me consciously drive my career around the purpose of empowering more women in leadership roles, bringing more diverse talent into the picture and driving the corporate culture narrative in Pakistan towards more inclusive practices.
It has been an interesting journey as seeing organizations moving from an occasional CSR to a purpose-led focused organization is a very rewarding experience and this is what keeps me motivated and excited to keep pursuing the field, I am in.
How can Government help SMEs to strengthen?
SMEs are a major contributor to Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) and collectively almost 40% of our GDP and 40% of exports are contributed by SMEs. They account for a significant share of economic activity and contribute to overall economic growth. The dynamism and flexibility of SMEs often enable them to adapt quickly to market changes, fostering economic resilience. The role of government as a facilitator of business and its interaction with business support institutions is imperative. In the present scenario although there are now much improved SME policies and there had been quite a support but there are few areas where government can pay immediate actions to drive exceptional growth.
The first and foremost suggestion is to focus on increasing the number of women-led SMEs; in a country where half of the population is women, having one of the lowest rates of women entrepreneurs in the world is a serious concern. It is important that government take special notice and remove the systemic barriers that exist to establishing and growing enterprises for women. Starting from a conduit for and enabler of working capital and funding to becoming a convener and connector to ease access to the market, venture capitalists, trade associations, and a broader ecosystem for women-led businesses can change the game for women-led SMEs.
Secondly, an important element of the SME sector is the regulatory environment and ease of entering and doing business. Govt must pay attention to streamlining and simplifying regulations, licenses, permits, and compliance requirements for SMEs. This can reduce administrative burdens and costs, making it easier for SMEs to start and operate businesses. Young entrepreneurs, especially those in non-IT fields find it hard to even enter into the market and challenges become bigger for SMEs from rural and peri-urban areas. One can even multiply the barriers and process issues when it comes to under-represented communities in the SME sector.
This can be supported and solved by including more partners such as the digital, telecom, and e-commerce industries. Reducing the administrative burden and costs by the digitalization of the processes, improving the digital infrastructure, reducing the cost of digital resources, and offering tax incentives for the early years of operations can be some areas where govt can help SMEs during the important early years of their lives.
Thirdly, capacity building, and involving SMEs in public procurement processes can hugely impact the confidence of the SME sector in government. Governments can implement policies that promote SME participation in public procurement processes. Setting aside a certain percentage of government contracts for SMEs or simplifying the procurement procedures can create opportunities for SMEs to secure government contracts.
Introducing the capacity development program skills and capabilities of SME owners and employees, enabling them to adapt to changing market demands and technologies, and creating partnerships between SMEs, academia and research institutions can also promote knowledge transfer and collaboration
How do you see the youth of Pakistan?
The youth of Pakistan is a significant demographic group that holds great potential and plays a crucial role in shaping the country’s future. In the current economic turmoil and socio-geo-political mayhem, I believe the role of youth has come out as an event more significant for Pakistan. Today’s youth of Pakistan, however, has some specific dynamics which must be kept in mind. I see today’s youth as even more enthusiastic and have a strong desire for education and aspiration for personal and professional growth.
They do not see their current jobs, businesses, and professions as an end rather they very rightly see them as a means to their personal and professional growth. Today’s organizations that do not realize this and try to engage youth think that the current job roles or state of their businesses will be able to engage them 100% and need to probably revisit their strategy.
Another interesting element I see in our youth is social awareness and activism. They actively participate in social activism, advocating for causes such as gender equality, climate change, human rights, and education. Social media platforms have played a significant role in enabling youth to express their opinions, mobilize movements, and raise awareness about various issues. This has brought a significant change in the way they see their prospective employers and business partners etc.
They do look at the bigger picture and would like to know and get attached to those organizations which are purpose-oriented and can offer them something more to look forward to than mere business/employment. They like to be involved in the bigger purpose and bigger dreams and once engaged by heart, mind, and soul, they would engage greatly in leveraging technology and seeking innovative solutions to address societal challenges.
The entrepreneurial mindset among the youth can contribute hugely to job creation, economic development, and the growth of the SMEs and startup ecosystem in Pakistan, if channelize well this is where the future lies.
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