The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) has announced a record 141 organisations have received the WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation for 2018-19. The citation recognises employer commitment and best practice in promoting gender equality in Australian workplaces. 

This year’s citation holders range from small professional services firms to very large organisations. Male-dominated, female-dominated and mixed industries are all represented.

Among the 26 first-time recipients is the Australian Football League, the first national sporting organisation to ever receive the citation.

WGEA Director Libby Lyons said that the growth in the recipients showed increasing recognition by Australian employers that gender equality is not just good for business but gives organisations a competitive advantage.

“More organisations are introducing strategies and policies to ensure women and men are equally valued and rewarded in their workplaces. Gender equality has become an important focus for Australian employers,” Ms Lyons said.

“However, we also know that policies and strategies cannot just live on paper. They have to be implemented. Targets need to be set, outcomes monitored and managers, executives and boards made accountable for the results.”

Each year WGEA strengthens citation prerequisites to drive continued progress. Criteria for the citation cover leadership, learning and development, gender remuneration gaps, flexible working and other initiatives to support family responsibilities, employee consultation, preventing sex-based harassment and discrimination, and targets for improving gender equality outcomes. 

New prerequisites for 2018-19 focus on strengthening accountability about an organisation’s formal gender equality strategy.

Trends among this year’s recipients include:
•    entrenching flexible work across the organisation
•    programs to support women into leadership
•    tailored parental leave policies to support both women and men
•    initiatives to encourage women to return to work after a career break
•    supporting men’s caring responsibilities
•    setting targets to achieve gender-equal graduate recruitment intakes
•    robust analysis and correction of gender pay gaps

“Our EOCGE citation does not signify that these employers have solved all of their gender equality issues,” said Ms Lyons. “Rather, it recognises that they have embraced a rigorous and detailed programme to transform their workplaces. These leading employers know the importance of achieving gender equality for their employees and for their business and are implementing leading-practice measures to do so.”

Ms Lyons said she was delighted to see the innovative approaches taken by citation holders in implementing actions and programmes to drive change.

“I congratulate all of our 2018-19 EOCGE citation holders for being such important agents for change. They are leading the way forward for other Australian employers to follow,” she said. 

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