Lenskart has made its in-store dress and grooming policy public after facing criticism over alleged restrictions on religious expression. The move comes days after social media posts and employee accounts raised concerns that certain religious symbols were not being treated equally during internal audits.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the company said it was standardising and transparently sharing its style guide to remove ambiguity around its policies.
Religious And Cultural Symbols ‘Explicitly Welcome’
The newly shared guidelines state that employees are allowed to wear religious and cultural markers such as bindi, tilak, sindoor, kalawa, mangalsutra, kada, hijab and turban while at work.
The company emphasised that these were not exceptions but an integral part of its workplace identity. “Lenskart was built in Bharat, by Indians, for Indians,” the statement said, adding that employees across its more than 2,400 stores bring their traditions and beliefs to work daily.
The company also acknowledged that earlier communication around workplace policies may have caused concern among employees and apologised to those affected.
Allegations From Employees Triggered Row
The controversy began after a user on social media platform X shared what was described as an internal document related to Lenskart’s style guide. The document allegedly allowed certain religious attire, such as black hijabs, but did not mention Hindu religious markers like tilak or bindi.
Following this, several current and former employees shared their experiences publicly, claiming that audit scores were impacted due to religious expressions.
One such account came from a former store manager in Pune, who alleged that staff members lost audit points for wearing kalawa, a sacred thread worn during religious rituals. Another former employee claimed that concerns about unequal treatment of religious symbols were raised with the company’s human resources team but were not formally addressed.
The employee further alleged that salary-linked incentives were affected due to audit outcomes and claimed that his employment ended after he raised a complaint through a state-run grievance portal.
Mint could not independently verify these claims.
Founder Responds, Calls Document ‘Outdated’
Peyush Bansal addressed the issue publicly, stating that the document circulating online was an outdated internal training file and not an official HR policy.
He said the document contained an incorrect reference related to religious symbols, which was removed in February, prior to the issue gaining attention online. Bansal acknowledged that the oversight should have been identified earlier and said the company takes responsibility for the confusion caused.
Company Yet To Address Individual Claims
While Lenskart has issued a broader clarification and apology, it has not released a detailed response addressing the specific allegations made by individual employees.
The company said its updated style guide reflects its current stance and will be implemented consistently across stores, with a commitment to reviewing policies regularly.
