POSH Training — Annual Mandatory Training 1 / 18
Supply Wisdom · Annual Mandatory Training

Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH)

Understanding your rights, responsibilities, and how to create a safe and respectful workplace for everyone.

📋 ~15 minutes · Mandatory for all India-based team members

This will appear on your certificate of completion.

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What You'll Learn

By the end of this training, you'll be able to confidently answer all of the following.

📚 Knowledge

  • What the POSH Act is and why it exists
  • Who is covered and where it applies
  • What counts as sexual harassment
  • Remote work and virtual harassment

⚡ Action

  • How to recognise unacceptable behaviour
  • What to do as a bystander
  • How to file a complaint
  • Who is on our Internal Committee

A Brief History

The POSH Act didn't emerge overnight — it was the result of decades of activism and legal battles.

92

Bhanwari Devi Case (1992)

A social worker in Rajasthan was assaulted after trying to prevent a child marriage. Her case exposed the absence of legal protections for women at work and became the catalyst for landmark legal reform.

97

Vishaka Guidelines (1997)

The Supreme Court of India issued landmark guidelines making it mandatory for employers to prevent sexual harassment at the workplace.

13

The POSH Act, 2013

The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act was enacted, giving formal legal force to workplace protections across India.

What is the POSH Act?

India's landmark law enacted to prevent and address sexual harassment at workplaces nationwide. While the Act specifically protects women, Supply Wisdom extends these protections to all team members — regardless of gender.

"The POSH Act, 2013 is a law enacted to prevent and address sexual harassment at workplaces in India — ensuring every employee has the right to work with dignity."

🎯 Three Core Objectives

  • Equal opportunity for all team members
  • Safe and dignified work environments
  • Prevention and redressal of sexual harassment

📌 Key Facts

  • Applies to all employers in India
  • Covers both men and women
  • Mandatory Internal Committee for 10+ employees
  • Annual reporting to District Officer required

Who & Where Does It Apply?

The POSH Act has broad, universal reach — it covers far more than just the physical office.

Universal Application

All organisations regardless of size · Both organised and unorganised sectors · Public and private entities · Domestic workers · NGOs and Government bodies

🏢 Physical Workplace

  • Office premises
  • Client locations
  • Field visits & official tours
  • Company transport (cabs, shuttles)

💻 Extended Workplace

  • Work-from-home arrangements
  • Virtual workspaces
  • Emails, calls, chat groups
  • Any work-related digital interaction

Key Definitions

Understanding these terms is essential to understanding who the Act protects and how.

👤 Aggrieved Person

Anyone who alleges sexual harassment at the workplace — including employees (permanent, temporary, contractual, intern, trainee), visitors, vendors, customers, clients, and partners. Works in both organised and unorganised sectors.

🧑‍💼 Employee

Any person at a workplace — permanent, temporary, contractual, intern, apprentice, consultant, freelancer, volunteer, or trainee. Working for wages or not. Employed directly or through an agency.

🏢 Employer

A person responsible for managing, supervising, and controlling the workplace — in the private sector: CEO, MD, Director, Talent Head, or anyone managing workplace affairs. In the public sector: Government-appointed authorities.

What is Sexual Harassment?

The Act defines it as any unwelcome act or behaviour, whether direct or implied, of a sexual nature.

🤚 Physical contact or advances 🙏 Demands for sexual favours 💬 Sexually coloured remarks 📱 Pornography display or sharing 🚫 Any other unwelcome verbal/non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature
🔞

Sexual in Nature

The behaviour must have a sexual or gender-based component.

🚫

Unwelcome

The recipient did not invite, solicit, or welcome the behaviour.

👁️

Subjective

Judged from the perspective of the person who experienced it.

⚖️

Impact Matters

The effect on the person matters more than the intent of the offender.

Does POSH Apply to Remote Work?

Yes — absolutely. The POSH Act covers all work-related interactions, even outside the physical office.

💡 Key Takeaway: Even though you're working remotely, workplace harassment rules still apply in full. Distance doesn't change the standard.

Examples of Virtual Harassment

  • 🎥Demanding to keep video on during meetings, especially after office hours
  • 📸Taking screenshots of colleagues during a video call without consent
  • 📩Sending sexually suggestive messages through any digital platform (WhatsApp, email, Teams, Slack)
  • 🖼️Sharing sexually explicit photos or content without consent
  • 💬Comments or rumours about someone's sexuality or sexual activities in chat groups
  • 👔Inappropriate comments on personal social media handles

Unacceptable Behaviour at Work

These behaviours — whether in person or virtual — create a hostile work environment and are never acceptable.

  • 🚫Using sexual or gender-based derogatory terms to describe a colleague
  • 🚫Inappropriate or sexist jokes to "lighten" the mood
  • 🚫Comments on a person's physical appearance in a sexual or demeaning manner
  • 🚫Spreading rumours about a colleague's private or sexual life
  • 🚫Unwanted touching, hugging, or physical contact
  • 🚫Displaying or circulating sexually explicit images or content at work
  • 🚫Persistent unwanted attention or requests for dates after a clear "no"
  • 🚫Not maintaining a dress code during video conferences
ℹ️ This is not an exhaustive list. Any behaviour of a sexual or gender-based nature that is unwelcome or creates a hostile environment may constitute harassment under the POSH Act.
✅ Eliminating these behaviours helps create a workplace of respect — where everyone can do their best work.

Is This Sexual Harassment? — Scenario 1

Read the scenario carefully, then select your answer.

Priya frequently asked her colleague Arjun out for coffee after work. While Arjun initially declined politely, Priya continued insisting. She often joked in team meetings about how he was "hard to impress." Arjun began avoiding team lunches and meetings, and his manager noticed a dip in his participation. Arjun eventually approached Talent Management, stating that Priya's behaviour — though not explicitly threatening — made him uncomfortable and affected his ability to collaborate effectively.

Is This Sexual Harassment? — Scenario 2

Read carefully before choosing your answer.

Arjun and Nisha work on the same team in a remote setting. During a team video call, Arjun repeatedly messages Nisha privately through the company chat asking her to "smile more" and commenting on how she looks on camera. After the meeting, he sends her a meme that she finds sexually suggestive. When Nisha asks him to stop, he replies "relax, it's just a joke." He continues sending similar messages over the next two weeks.

What Can Bystanders Do?

Witnessing harassment and staying silent is not neutral — it signals that the behaviour is acceptable. You have options.

🗣️

Speak Up Directly

If it's safe, address the behaviour in the moment — "That comment wasn't appropriate."

🤝

Support the Person

Check in with the person who experienced it. Ask if they're OK and how you can help.

📢

Report It

Report to Talent Management or the Internal Committee — you can do this even if you weren't the target.

📝

Document What You Saw

Note dates, times, what was said or done — this evidence can be valuable in an inquiry.

⚠️ Retaliation against someone who reports harassment — or against a bystander who supports them — is itself a violation of the POSH Act.

Internal Complaints Committee (ICC)

Supply Wisdom has a designated Internal Complaints Committee. These are the people you can approach with any complaint or concern.

Chairperson
Meena Priyadharsini
Internal Member
Sandeep Suresh
Internal Member
Rakhi Gandhi
External Member
Ayantika Mondal
🔒 All complaints and proceedings are kept strictly confidential. Your identity and the details of the complaint will not be disclosed except as required by law.
🌐 Supply Wisdom's policy goes further than the Act: While the POSH Act formally covers complaints by women, Supply Wisdom's ICC investigates complaints by team members of any gender with the same seriousness, confidentiality, and procedural fairness.

How to File a Complaint

The process is structured to be fair, confidential, and time-bound.

1

File a Written Complaint

Submit a written complaint to the ICC within 3 months of the incident (extendable in exceptional cases).

2

Acknowledgement & Inquiry Begins

The ICC acknowledges the complaint and initiates inquiry within 7 days.

3

Optional: Conciliation

Before a formal inquiry, the ICC may — at the complainant's request — attempt conciliation between the parties. No monetary settlement may form the basis of conciliation.

4

Inquiry Process

Collection of evidence (emails, messages, witness statements). Both parties examined separately. Each may be assisted by a person of their choice. Neutral stance maintained throughout.

5

Inquiry Completed & Report Submitted

Inquiry must be completed within 60 days. The ICC provides its findings and recommendations to both parties within 10 days of completing the inquiry.

6

Action Implemented

The employer implements recommended actions within 60 days of the report. Actions may include written apology, warning, withholding of promotion, or termination.

🛡️ Interim Relief Available

While an inquiry is in progress, the ICC may recommend interim relief for the complainant — including transfer to another department, leave of up to 3 months, or restraining the respondent from supervising the complainant's work.

Why This Training Matters

Sexual harassment at work is not rare — and it often goes unreported. These numbers underscore why a culture of respect must be intentionally built.

27,000+
POSH cases reported in India between 2020–2024 (Source: NCW)
35%
of women globally have reported workplace harassment at least once (Source: UN Women)
14%
of men globally have reported workplace harassment at least once (Source: UN Women)
📊 These are reported cases. Experts estimate the true number is significantly higher due to fear of retaliation, stigma, and lack of awareness about the complaint process.

Your Rights & Responsibilities

Every team member has both protections under the law and an obligation to uphold a respectful culture.

✅ Your Rights

  • Right to a safe and dignified work environment
  • Right to file a complaint without fear of retaliation
  • Right to confidentiality during the process
  • Right to be heard fairly and without bias
  • Right to request interim relief (leave, transfer) during inquiry

⚡ Your Responsibilities

  • Maintain professional conduct at all times
  • Speak up if you witness harassment
  • Report incidents promptly — don't wait
  • Cooperate with any ICC inquiry you're part of
  • Treat all colleagues with dignity and respect
Supply Wisdom is committed to taking reasonable steps to prevent harassment and will take immediate, appropriate action when harassment is reported. To do this, the cooperation of every team member at every level is needed.

Quick Quiz

Let's confirm your understanding before you complete the training.

Question 1 of 5
What is the timeframe to file a POSH complaint after an incident?
🏆

Training Complete!

You've completed the Supply Wisdom POSH Training. You now understand your rights, your responsibilities, and how to help build a respectful, inclusive workplace.

Quiz Score

Certificate of Completion

POSH Training · Supply Wisdom India

Completed on:

Quiz Score:

📂 Next step — Upload to BambooHR

  1. Click Download Certificate (PDF) above. When the print dialog opens, select Save as PDF and save the file.
  2. Log in to BambooHR and go to your profile.
  3. Click the Training tab.
  4. Upload the saved PDF as evidence of completion for POSH Training.