Finance
86% of working women eager to improve financial knowledge, survey reveals
In anticipation of International Women’s Day, IndiaLends, a prominent online marketplace for credit products, introduces the 6th edition of its annual #WorkingStree report. This year’s survey, centred on “Women Entrepreneurship and Investments”, explores the aspirations and realities of working women in India. The report underscores a change in the priorities of working women in India. Let’s delve into the details:
Emphasis on entrepreneurship and investments: The current report appears to explore the strategies employed by working women in pursuing business ownership and financial advancement, contrasting with the previous year’s emphasis on attaining financial independence.
Optimistic perspective: The report indicates a more favourable viewpoint compared to the discoveries of the 5th edition, which might have pointed towards challenges encountered by working women in attaining financial independence.
In the current year, IndiaLends conducted a survey of more than 10,000 working women aged 24-55 in metropolitan areas as well as tier 1 and tier 2 cities. A remarkable 76% of the participants indicated their aspiration to initiate their businesses. This entrepreneurial enthusiasm reflects an expanding ambition and a dedication to seizing control of their financial destinies.
In the #WorkingStree survey by IndiaLends, the majority of respondents fell within the 25-34 age group, constituting 33.6% of the total sample, with 35-44-year-olds following at 25.6%. The youngest demographic, aged 18-24, made up 22.3% of the participants, while those aged 45 and above comprised approximately 18.5%. In terms of professions, salaried employees constituted the largest segment at 44.5%, with self-employed individuals following closely at 31.3%. Homemakers represented 12.3% of the sample, and professional individuals like CAs and lawyers accounted for 4.4%. Regarding marital status, the majority of respondents were married, making up 67.2%, while singles constituted 20.5%.
Furthermore, a noteworthy 86% of employed women conveyed a keen interest in acquiring knowledge and enhancing their skills in domains such as budgeting, investing, saving, and other financial instruments. This increasing financial literacy plays a pivotal role in empowering women to navigate the intricacies of finance, be it as investors or entrepreneurs.
Beyond the numerical data, the #WorkingStree survey uncovered narratives of women entrepreneurs assuming leadership roles. A significant discovery is that 68% of women entrepreneurs autonomously oversee their company accounts, showcasing their proficiency and self-sufficiency. Merely 32% of women rely on professionals, husbands, or family members for this aspect of their business.
The survey also sought insights into the investment behaviours of working women. Results showed that 68.7% of businesswomen/entrepreneurs invest their funds, while only 51% of salaried women engage in investment. Intriguingly, among women who invest, 79% manage their investment portfolios independently. The remaining 21% seek assistance from their partners or parents.
When questioned about their reasons for refraining from investment, 25% of women attribute their decision to a lack of confidence in making investment choices, while 29% identify a restricted understanding of financial instruments as a hindrance.
Ankit Khurana, Chief Marketing Officer, IndiaLends, expressed, “The results of the #WorkingStree survey are truly inspiring. Witnessing that 76% of women aspire to start their businesses fills me with immense pride. This is proof of changing times and shows how today’s women are ready to take charge of their finances. I believe that by supporting women’s entrepreneurial journeys, we can ensure a stronger and more prosperous nation for generations to come.”
In essence, the rise in financial literacy among women represents a notable stride towards fostering increased financial inclusion and empowerment. This development enables active participation in the financial system, positioning women as investors and entrepreneurs, and paving the way for a secure and prosperous future for themselves and their families.
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Published: 07 Mar 2024, 10:50 AM IST
Finance
Quadient Recognized as a Leader in the 2026 SPARK Matrix for Accounts Receivable Applications
Quadient demonstrates continued innovation in AI-driven invoice-to-cash automation and unified finance operations
Paris
Quadient (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, announced today it has been recognized for the fifth consecutive year as a Leader in the 2026 SPARK Matrix™ for Accounts Receivable Applications by technology analyst and advisory firm QKS Group. Quadient strengthened its position in the report year-over-year, with a notable improvement in Technology Excellence, reflecting continued innovation in its AI-driven invoice-to-cash solution.
According to QKS Group, Quadient’s leadership position highlights its evolution into a comprehensive, AI-powered platform that delivers strong predictive accuracy and straight-through processing. The analyst firm also emphasized the capability of Quadient’s solutions to unify accounts receivable (AR) and accounts payable (AP), offering finance leaders greater visibility and insights into their business finances to make faster, better decisions on working capital management.
Earlier this month, Quadient announced the release of its new cash dashboard capability for AR and AP that allows finance teams to bring together traditionally siloed data in a single view. An AI assistant summarizes key metrics and provides analysis that helps finance leaders accelerate cash on hand, improve forecasting, reduce risk and uncover opportunities to optimize working capital.
“Quadient has established a strong position in the 2026 Accounts Receivable Automation market through its focus on intelligent automation, cash flow optimization and integrated financial operations,” said Sanjeevi C R, associate vice president, Enterprise Research at QKS Group. “The platform’s evolution from predictive analytics to AI-driven autonomous collections execution represents a meaningful step forward in reducing manual effort across the invoice-to-cash cycle. What differentiates Quadient is its ability to combine collections management, cash application, and payment processing with a unified accounts receivable and accounts payable ecosystem, providing finance leaders with a more holistic view of working capital performance. By enabling greater automation, enhanced cash flow visibility, and more efficient receivables operations, Quadient continues to deliver measurable value for organizations seeking to modernize their financial processes and improve liquidity management.”
QKS Group highlighted the following key strengths for Quadient AR:
Finance
G7 Recommits to Development, Investment Finance to Drive Shared Prosperity
The G7 Leaders’ Summit took place in Évia
Finance
Protecting Bolivia’s forest watersheds with sustainable finance
Why financing matters for forest restoration
Over the past several years, Armonía and local communities have made significant progress restoring parts of the Tunari protected area. To date they have planted 1.25 million trees, with more than half of these planted in the Tiquipaya municipality. Community wildfire brigades have been strengthened, reservoirs built to secure water, and new systems created for communities to participate in watershed management.
One of the most important actions was strengthening the structure and function of a watershed governance body, known as Organismo de Gestión de Cuencas (OGC). This coordinates restoration activities and helps design sustainable development strategies for the communities living in the park, helping rebuild trust between them, park authorities and conservation organisations. Women leaders have played an important role in shaping this work.
However, a major challenge was highlighted – restoration takes decades, but most conservation funding arrives through short-term projects. Without stable long-term financing, restoration gains are difficult to maintain.
How the financing model would work
The proposed PES mechanism would collect small contributions directed into a transparent trust fund with independent governance. Resources would then be invested in three main areas:
- Forest restoration and protection – Communities would receive incentives for protecting existing forest and payments tied to successful restoration outcomes.
- Community sustainable development – Investments would support livelihood activities that reduce pressure on the forest, such as sustainable agriculture, water management and local enterprises.
- Strengthening park management – Funds would help support ranger capacity, wildfire prevention and long-term monitoring within Tunari National Park.
For communities, the system recognises their role as custodians of the watershed. For urban residents, it offers a practical way to support the ecosystems that provide their water. For public and private partners, it creates a transparent structure for long-term investment in landscape restoration.
Once fully implemented, the mechanism could generate an estimated £3 million per year for watershed protection and restoration.

Designing a Payment for Ecosystem Services mechanism
Over the past two years, Armonía has worked with municipalities, communities and regional institutions to explore how a PES mechanism could work in the Cochabamba region.
The PES concept is straightforward. Communities living in the upper watershed protect and restore forests that provide essential services such as water regulation, erosion control and biodiversity conservation. Downstream users who benefit from these services contribute financially to support that stewardship.
Through the Accelerator process, Armonía undertook studies, assessments and consultations across the Cochabamba metropolitan area’s seven municipalities. Many residents recognised that protecting the forest is directly linked to their water security. Based on these encouraging results, Armonía and their partners are developing a regional trust fund.
Building the institutions behind the mechanism
The financing system is only one piece of the puzzle – strong governance and community participation are also essential. With FIA support, Armonía is now helping communities develop ten-year sustainable development strategies that identify restoration priorities and income opportunities. A multi-stakeholder platform will oversee the initiative and guide decisions, while the park administration is also receiving support to strengthen monitoring, prevent wildfires and improve co-ordination.
A new model for watershed protection
The work underway in Tunari is about more than planting trees. It’s about building a durable system that links ecological restoration, community leadership and long-term financing. Once the mechanism is operational, it could transform how the Tunari watershed is managed. Instead of relying on intermittent projects, the region would have a locally supported financing system that rewards stewardship and protects the Kewiña forests that has supported life in the Andes for centuries.
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