New Delhi. State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest public sector bank, has rolled out an important strategy to promote gender diversity. The bank aims to increase the share of women in its workforce from 27 per cent to 30 per cent in the next five years. A senior SBI official said that women participation among frontline employees is already around 33 per cent, but it is only 27 per cent of the total workforce. The bank has taken several steps to bridge this gap. Women are being trained for leadership roles through the Bank’s Empower Har initiative. Under this, coaching, guidance and leadership development sessions are organized. In addition, rehabilitation training and family contact programs are being run for women employees returning after maternity leave or illness. Health services like crèche allowance to working mothers, nutrition allowance to pregnant women and breast and cervical cancer screening are being provided. The bank has also started a cervical cancer vaccination campaign. More than 340 branches of the bank are being manned only by women employees, which is a strong signal towards an inclusive workplace.