Marico: Members, not Employees

One of the striking features which stands out about Marico Ltd. as an organization is their reference to
all employees as members rather than employees. The emphasis is on an open and transparent
culture which is united with an environment of trust and mutual respect. Says Ashutosh Telang,
Executive VP and Head HR, Marico Limited, We are an organization which believes in membership
rather than employeeship. People here are given early responsibility which enables them to learn and
grow as an individual. Marico Limited is is one of Indias leading FMCG companies and ranks #36 in the
Great Place to Work Institutes study, and #2 in the Industry Category of the FMCG sector.
The Indian FMCG sector boasts of the worlds topmost MNCs as well as domestic home-grown
companies. In such a scenario, Maricos attempt to attract talent has been extremely successful. Says
Harsh Mariwala, Chairman and MD, Marico Limited, The perception around domestic FMCG firms is
that they are giving tough competition to MNCs. Today, the employees want to work for a company that
is doing well and has a strong culture. They even interact with the ex-employees to gain insights into the
company. Marico has a robust and well designed process to recruit management trainees, who are
further aligned with the organizational goals to convert them into full-time employees. Eventually, when
potential candidates compare us with any MNC, they see for themselves the open culture, the freedom
to create their own future, and the empowerment to take decisions at Marico. Marico has also won
several awards which acknowledge us as an employer of choice. We address a few questions to Harsh
Mariwala and Ashutosh Telang.

What makes Marico a great workplace?
Harsh Mariwala: It is our open and transparent culture that makes Marico a great workplace. Our
organizational culture is based on meritocracy and empowerment. And this recognition reinforces and
strengthens the value systems of our organization.
Ashutosh Telang: For me, there are four simple guidelines viz. great company culture, the way we focus
on the talent and growth of individuals, well managed organization and fair remuneration, that make
Marico a great workplace. We believe that when we hire employees, there is an immediate emotional
connect and this helps encourage a feeling of belongingness and commitment among them.

Marico recently acquired companies in the overseas market. Does this hold opportunities for your
domestic employees to work in these markets?
Harsh Mariwala: Certainly. Depending upon the organization we have acquired and the talent required
to run operations in these markets, we train our people here to take charge in the foreign markets. Each
company or brand that we have acquired internationally, requires a different set of expertise and talent.
This increases the opportunities for our Indian members to explore their potential and capabilities.
Weve been sending our people to markets such as Bangladesh, Egypt and South Africa where we have
either set up operations or acquired companies and will continue to do so.

What attributes of your company appeal to prospective employees?
Ashutosh Telang: The brand name and the image of the organization is what appeals to prospective
employees. Our organizational purpose be more. every day - encapsulates our mission - To
transform in a sustainable manner the lives of all those we touch by nurturing and empowering them to
maximize their true potential. This along with a value based and fundamentally strong culture helps us
maintain an image of being an employer of choice