How This Unique Training Programme Is Helping Women Land Jobs Once Considered ‘Only for Men’

This article is published in partnership with Godrej Foods Limited 

When unrest disrupted life in Manipur, Rozaline Thangjam didn’t step back. As part of a fledgling general trade team, she continued visiting stores, speaking to retailers, and keeping business afloat — often walking long distances to do so.

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Her resilience is not an exception. It’s a sign of what’s possible when women are given the training, tools, and trust to thrive in frontline sales — an industry that has long excluded them.

Her story reflects a deeper, systemic issue — and the scale of the challenge becomes evident when we look at the numbers.

A gender gap in plain sight

While women made up 18 percent of the Indian workforce in FY2024 — a marginal 0.6% dip from the previous year and from 19 percent in FY2021 — their presence in frontline sales remains especially concerning.

That’s because field roles are still widely seen as a man’s domain, shaped by long-standing gender norms and perceptions around physical mobility, safety, and negotiation. This bias often sidelines capable women from even being considered for these roles, let alone thriving in them.

It’s not a lack of skill that holds women back. The problem is that sales — especially frontline sales — have traditionally been seen as a man’s job. Long hours, frequent travel, and deep-rooted gender bias have made it a space that’s rarely open to women.

But some companies are choosing to see things differently.

One of them is Godrej Foods Limited(GFL), which is working to change the narrative through an ambitious, thoughtfully designed initiative called WINGS.

Why women at the grassroots deserve a bigger seat at the table

Ask the team at GFL what sparked WINGS, and the answer is clear: meaningful, inclusive growth has to start at the grassroots. Over the years, they’ve seen firsthand how women — especially those in agriculture and field roles — contribute immensely to the economy, often with little visibility or recognition.

Across India, several women have emerged as powerful leaders — transforming their lives and local economies through sheer grit, hard work, and determination. Long before any structured training programmes were introduced, these women were already breaking barriers.

One such trailblazer is Rozaline Thangjam. Based in Manipur, she joined GFL’s Yummiez vertical in 2023 and has since grown the region’s business by five times.

Rozaline’s commitment goes far beyond the call of duty. She ensures timely deliveries under extraordinary circumstances and has built a strong distribution network that’s helped anchor the brand in the region. Her success hasn’t just changed business outcomes — it’s changed her life. Today, she supports her family, is funding her sister’s education, and has upgraded to a modern home.

And Rozaline isn’t alone.

Another example is Jayshri Janardan Darade from Nandurshingote in Nasik. Jayshri comes from a traditional farming family where water shortages and unpredictable monsoons made economic stability a constant challenge.

In 2016, she decided to diversify into poultry farming — a move that transformed her life. With the largest farm capacity among women farmers in the region, Jayshri now runs a thriving poultry business that’s allowed her to buy a car, acquire more land, renovate her home, and fund her children’s higher education.

Further south in Chikaballapur, Karnataka, Bhagyama R’s journey stands out as another testament to women leading from the front. She started working with GFL in 2016 after hearing about the company from a fellow poultry farmer. With the biggest farm capacity among women in CBF South, Bhagyama’s business has enabled her to repay a family loan, support her son’s wedding, contribute to her grandchildren’s education, and help build a new home. Her strong relationship with GFL’s field staff is rooted in mutual trust and respect, a key ingredient in her success.

While these women carved their own paths in agriculture and field work, GFL realised there was potential to amplify such impact through structured support. This led to the birth of WINGS — a focused effort to bring more women into frontline sales, a space historically dominated by men. Because when women are trusted with opportunity, they don’t just deliver results. They transform everything around them.

Challenging gender norms in frontline sales

Let’s be honest, frontline sales isn’t for the faint of heart. It comes with targets, travel, pressure, people management, and day-to-day unpredictability. It demands presence in the market, relationship building, and a deep understanding of consumer behaviour.

For years, this space was seen as too demanding for women. But GFL took a different view: with the right training and mentorship, women could not only succeed in sales, they could transform it.

The idea behind WINGS was simple — equip women with the knowledge, tools, and exposure they need, and then let them soar.

What WINGS offers

WINGS is more than just a training programme; it’s a launchpad for providing equal opportunities to women.

It begins with classroom sessions, where participants learn sales strategy, negotiation, brand knowledge, and channel management. This foundation helps them understand not just what they’re selling, but how to sell effectively.

Then come the market visits — a vital part of the learning curve. Trainees interact with distributors, observe retail dynamics, and see the sales process in action. These visits aren’t just observational; they allow participants to apply their learning in real-world settings.

The final phase is on-the-job training. Each trainee is mentored by experienced managers and learns to handle real challenges — from building retailer relationships to driving sales performance.

These women are trained to work across general trade, food service, and distribution — all key areas of FMCG sales. Crucially, upon completing their training, they don’t walk away with just a certificate. They are absorbed into full-time sales roles, where they’re already making a difference.

A pilot with real impact

The first pilot batch of WINGS, launched in April 2024, put the programme to the test. Trainees were placed across Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune. As expected, there were initial hurdles — resistance from the field, societal bias, and the growing pains of a new programme.

Still, the outcomes surprised everyone.

Despite the challenges, 75 percent of the batch was successfully placed in full-time roles. The results were powerful:

• One trainee reversed a 22 percent business decline, turning it into 71 percent growth in her territory.
• Another played a key role in expanding the general trade footprint by adding 75 new outlets.
• In Kollam, a trainee even took on the task of onboarding a distributor — a role usually reserved for team leaders or area sales managers.

These successes didn’t just validate the programme — they helped shape the next phase of its evolution.

And the impact has been felt beyond WINGS, too. With a clear commitment to gender diversity, GFL has nearly doubled women’s representation across functions — from 6.67 percent in FY24 to 12.8 percent in FY25 (as of December year-to-date).

In Sales and Marketing, the leap has been even more dramatic: from 5 percent to 15.15 percent. Attrition, once a concern, has dropped sharply from 36 percent last year to just 12 percent as of February 2025.

For GFL, this isn’t just about numbers; it’s about culture. Backed by engaged leadership and a supportive ecosystem, the company has set its sights on reaching 20 percent women’s representation by FY26.

WINGS may have lit the spark, but the fire is now spreading across the organisation.

WINGS 2: Scaling the vision

The second batch of WINGS, launched in October 2024, took everything that worked in the pilot and scaled it up. Mentorship became more structured. Expectations rose — and so did the results.

This time, GFL set a target of 80 percent absorption or higher, and early signs have been promising.

Trainees are currently employed in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Indore, Kollam, Kolkata, Chandigarh, Dehradun and more. With each batch, GFL aims to enter new high-potential markets where women-led sales can make a significant difference.

And importantly, there’s no fee charged to the women as this is a fully sponsored initiative by GFL focused purely on talent empowerment.

The entire programme is funded by GFL, with no hidden costs — just a genuine investment in building the next generation of women sales leaders.

What’s next: WINGS 3 and beyond

WINGS 3, launching in August 2025, will focus on hiring fresh graduates to strengthen the Customer Sales Representative (CSR) frontline pool, supported by structured handholding and enhanced mentorship.

In parallel, GFL has extended the WINGS initiative to Manufacturing, onboarding DETs through the Apprenticeship programme for various roles at their Hoskote, Nashik, and Taloja plants. This mirrors the structured development model of WINGS in Sales.

Together, these efforts reinforce the company’s focus on inclusive growth, capability building, and creating meaningful career pathways for emerging talent.

Beyond paycheques: Building careers and confidence

While salary details remain confidential, all WINGS participants are offered industry-aligned packages from the start. But beyond pay, the programme offers something even more valuable: long-term career growth in a space that has historically excluded women.

Sales is no longer just a man’s job. These women are now hitting targets, solving problems, and making their presence felt in the field.

For GFL, WINGS isn’t a CSR initiative. It’s a serious, strategic effort to build a more inclusive and empowered workforce. Because when women rise in the field, they bring not just results, but also new energy, fresh perspectives, and a better way of doing business.

With WINGS, that journey has only just begun.

All pictures courtesy GFL Team