Organisations recognised for best practices in promoting gender equality in Australian workplaces
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has released the list of new WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation holders, and up to 120 organisations have obtained the citation in 2018. The citation recognises best practice and employer commitment to promoting gender equality in the workplace.
The latest citation holders include small professional services firms and larger organisations. Among those that received citation are banks and universities with male-dominated, female-dominated and mixed industries represented.
WGEA Director Libby Lyons has commented about the rising number of organisations receiving the citation, saying steady growth was an indication that the business benefits and that competitive advantage is gained through boosting gender equality in Australian workplaces. For Lyons, it is encouraging to see some new citation holders in various fields such as engineering, insurance, IT, manufacturing and entertainment.
Lyons recognised that each industry and business is dealing with unique gender equality challenges. The work of the EOCGE citation holders is so important, Lyons said, since change can be realised more quickly through leadership and accountability.
“I am particularly delighted to see some of the innovative and exciting initiatives by our EOCGE citation holders covering, amongst other things, flexibility, paid parental leave, supporting women in leadership and addressing gender pay gaps,” Lyons said in a statement published at WGEA’s website. She pointed out that the latest WGEA data shows a continuous momentum and progress towards gender equality in workplaces.
But it also stressed the accountability gap between having a strategy or policy set up and being held accountable for getting results delivered. Lyons believes accountability and leadership are both important for true progress to be achieved in shifting the “entrenched gender divisions in Australian workplaces.”
“I congratulate all the 2017-18 citation holders for their commitment to and recognition of the many benefits improved gender equality can bring to their business,” she said, adding that these employers set the pace and benchmark for other workplaces in Australia.
Lyons added that they are confident that all citation holders are driving reforms in their respective organisations and that they play a leadership role to encourage gender equality across their industries and in the community. The WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation seeks to encourage, recognise and promote commitment to achieving gender equality in the workplace.
