Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd., a PSE under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, GOI and International Coaching Federation (ICF) in association with Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I) organised a set of interactions on 4th April 2024 at Balmer Lawrie House and the Bengal Chambers in Kolkata. The event aimed to explore the benefits and power of professional coaching in various spheres of life.

The event included a roundtable and panel discussions with leaders from diverse backgrounds in Kolkata to explore the power of coaching towards human transformation. Ms. Magdalena Nowicka Mook, CEO of ICF Global, Mr. Adika Ratna Sekhar, Chairman & Managing Director, Balmer Lawrie & Co. Ltd. and their teams deliberated on possible collaborations to further the coaching culture in the region. 

Balmer Lawrie is an evangelist and amongst the first organisations in the Eastern Region that has implemented professional coaching within the organisation. The Company initiated the coaching leadership journey in 2022 with the aim of building a coaching culture. 80% of Wholetime Directors are certified Coaches. 55% of the Strategic Business Units (SBUs) / Functions have certified Coaches at L1 or L2 level. Wholetime Directors and other Leaders have among themselves imparted 500+ hours of coaching – mostly within the organisation, enabling effective individual development across the Company. 

The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the leading global organisation for coaches and coaching. With over 55,000 members worldwide, ICF is dedicated to advancing the coaching profession by setting high standards, providing independent certification, and building a worldwide network of trained coaching professionals. Amongst other Indian cities, Chennai, Pune, Bangalore, Delhi, and Hyderabad have thriving coaching communities impacting social and corporate organizations through ICF local chapters.

To strengthen the presence in Eastern India, a local Coaching Community, comprising members of ICF Global, has been formed to create awareness on the power of professional coaching. Balmer Lawrie and BCC&I have joined hands to create an ecosystem supporting the formation of the ICF Kolkata Chapter.

Mr. Adika Ratna Shekhar, C&MD, Balmer Lawrie said, “I feel very proud that Blamer Lawrie is amongst the flagbearers of professional coaching amongst Corporates in Kolkata and today we are witnessing amazing results. The coaching initiative has opened new vistas of growth for the Company and helped us to identify and implement future leadership projects in our various businesses.”