CII appoints Neerja Birla as Vision Chair of India Wellbeing Initiative 2026 to champion workplace wellbeing

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has appointed Neerja Birla as the Vision Chair of the CII India Wellbeing Initiative, a platform aimed at advancing conversations around workplace wellbeing, human sustainability and building organisations where employees can thrive.

The appointment comes as businesses increasingly recognise that employee wellbeing is closely linked to organisational resilience, productivity and long-term growth. Through the initiative, CII plans to bring together business leaders, policymakers and subject experts to encourage dialogue, promote best practices and drive measurable improvements in workplace wellbeing across industries.

Welcoming Birla to the role, CII said her long-standing commitment to mental health and wellbeing aligns with the initiative's goal of placing people at the centre of organisational success. The initiative seeks to move beyond viewing wellbeing as a standalone programme and instead position it as a core business strategy.

The announcement also sets the stage for the CII India Well-being Summit 2026, which is being positioned as a first-of-its-kind national platform dedicated to shaping the future of workplace wellbeing in India.

The summit will convene business leaders, policymakers, chief human resource officers (CHROs), healthcare professionals, psychologists, researchers, academics and industry practitioners to discuss how organisations can embed wellbeing into leadership, governance and business strategy.

Organised by CII, the summit aims to shift the conversation beyond traditional employee wellness programmes towards making wellbeing a boardroom priority that contributes to organisational resilience, sustainable growth and human flourishing.

According to CII, the event will provide a platform for ideas, collaboration, research and actionable solutions, enabling stakeholders from across sectors to co-create healthier, happier and more productive workplaces.