Glimpses from the launch of the first few Equali-tea Cafés in various locations.

This year, Godrej Properties Limited launched Equali-Tea Cafés as part of its commitment to inclusive employment. The cafés, located at property sites and Marketing Office and Show Apartments (MOSA), are primarily run by transgender individuals and people with hearing and speech impairments. We’ve closed the year with nine such cafés, making this initiative a significant step toward creating more inclusive workspaces.

On this project, GPL partnered with The Trans Café, founded by Zainab Patel, a queer rights activist, and the Shikandi Foundation in Pune, aiming to ensure that these spaces provide meaningful, skill-based employment. The initiative not only offers job opportunities but also challenges conventional workplace norms by placing queer and disabled entrepreneurs in visible, everyday corporate settings.

Through vendor partnerships at larger sites and direct employment at smaller ones, GPL strives to create pathways for long-term financial stability and growth for marginalised communities. The goal is to empower trans and queer individuals to become entrepreneurs, fostering lasting economic mobility.

Text and image by GPL's DEI team.