TOP AUSTRALIAN ORGANISATIONS FOR LGBTQ INCLUSION IN 2021 ANNOUNCED
The ABC, information technology services and consulting company Capgemini, and community support agency Advance Diversity Services are among this year’s top employers and service providers announced at this year’s Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards held in Sydney.
Capgemini was named ‘Employer of the Year’ for the first time, while management consulting company Oliver Wyman was announced ‘Small Employer of the Year’. Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA), which is NSW’s peak organisation for non-government alcohol and other drugs services, was named ‘Service Provider of the Year’.
Other top honours went organisations including Dentons, Deutsche Bank, IBM, Woolworths, Coles, the University of NSW and Deloitte, who all received high tiered ranking for LGBTQ inclusion. The ABC was named ‘Most Improved’ and also took out the ‘External Media Campaign’ award. (NB: Full list of award recipients and finalists below.)
Held at the Hyatt Regency, the sold-out event is Australia’s foremost annual celebration of LGBTQ workplace inclusion. It is hosted by ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, the national not-for-profit LGBTQ inclusion support program for employers, sporting organisations and service providers.
The awards are based on the results of the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) – which is now in its eleventh year – and the third Health + Wellbeing Equality Index (HWEI). The AWEI and HWEI are rigorous and evidence-based benchmarking tools that annually assesses workplaces in the progress and impact of LGBTQ inclusion initiatives.
By participating in the AWEI and accompanying employee survey, employers are able to benchmark their practice against other organisations and obtain annual data on the impact initiatives are having on their employees.
Dawn Emsen-Hough, Director of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, said she was proud to see the indices continue to achieve record growth and participation following a year that saw a lot of difficulty and uncertainty.
“Over the past year, we have seen incredible advancements in workplace diversity and inclusion despite turmoil we all experienced on a global scale. It’s incredibly encouraging to see workplaces in Australia continue to remain dedicated and stride towards greater inclusion of our LGBTQ communities,” Emsen-Hough said.
“As we continue to progress, it’s vital that efforts are acknowledged and celebrated, and that we continue to maintain and build upon our achievements.”
The AWEI saw a record 186 organisations across Australia participate this year, and an employee survey attached to the index received 44,915 responses, the highest it has ever received. In its inaugural survey, the HWEI saw over 700 responses from 24 organisations/service providers.
Emsen-Hough added: “Once again, we have record numbers of employers across all sectors participating in the indices. The employee survey that accompanied the AWEI, and for the first time, the HWEI, provides us with a great insight into workplace attitudes towards diversity and inclusion.
“Congratulations to all the award recipients announced today, including those the receiving Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Employer status, as well as those that received organisational awards. I commend all of them on their significant achievements and for showing great leadership in LGBTQ inclusion.”
“These awards truly give us an insight into the amazing breadth of work being done by so many in making organisations across Australia more inclusive of LGBTQ people and communities.”
Click here to download a PDF version of this media release.
Click here to download a PDF version of the 2021 Awards Results booklet.
For more information on ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, go to www.prideinclusionprograms.com.au
Winners from the Australian Workplace Equality Index
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Employer of the Year | Capgemini |
| Platinum Employers (Long Term Gold Employers) | Accenture EY Lendlease Macquarie Bank |
| Platinum Projects | Clayton Utz PwC RMIT University |
| Platinum Qualifiers for 2020 | AGL Energy Australian Taxation Office Woolworths Group |
| Gold Employers | Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) AGL Energy Australian Taxation Office Capgemini Coles CSIRO Deloitte IBM J.P. Morgan KPMG MinterEllison NAB NBN Co. QBE Insurance Queensland Department of Education (SBS) Special Broadcasting Service Scentre Group Services Australia The University of Sydney The University of New South Wales (UNSW) Woolworths Group |
| Silver Employers | Aurecon BHP CBRE Department of Education & Training Victoria DLA Piper EnergyAustralia Hollard Insurance Macquarie University Mercer Norton Rose Fulbright Origin Energy Salesforce The Star Entertainment Group The University of Queensland Victoria Police Westpac |
| Bronze Employers | Alcoa Allianz Arup Ashurst ASIC Baker McKenzie Charles Sturt University CoHealth Department of Health Department of Home Affairs Department of Industry, Innovation & Science Department of Social Services Department of Agriculture, Water & the Environment Dexus Edith Cowan University Energy Queensland Fujitsu Australia Grant Thornton Griffith University IAG ING Jacobs John Holland Life Without Barriers Maddocks Queensland Health (Department of Health) SAP Australia Settlement Services International Stockland Telstra The University of Melbourne The University of Western Australia The University of Wollongong Victoria University Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning |
| Most Improved Employer | Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) |
| Small Employer of the Year | Oliver Wyman |
| Small Employer Gold | Clifford Chance Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers Dentons Deutsche Bank McCullough Robertson Lawyers Oliver Wyman |
| Small Employer Silver | ADSSI Boston Consulting Group Clifford Chance Initiative Media PageGroup Roche |
| Small Employer Bronze | Allen & Overy Aussie Broadband Key Assets - The Children's Service Provider Keypath Education Liberty Financial Northern Trust Pinsent Masons Russell Kennedy Lawyers The GPT Group |
| Most Improved Small Employer | Liberty Financial |
Winners from the Health + Wellbeing Equality Index
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Service Provider of the Year | Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) |
| Gold Service Providers | Advance Diversity Services Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies (NADA) |
| Silver Service Providers | Medibank Uniting Vic.Tas |
| Bronze Service Providers | Flourish Australia NurseWatch Relationships Australia NSW |
| Most Improved Service Provider of the Year | NurseWatch |
Individual Awards Categories – Finalists and Winners
| Award | Recipient |
|---|---|
| Employee Network of the Year | Winners: Capgemini KPMG |
| Trans/Gender Diverse Inclusion | Winner: Capgemini |
| CEO of the Year | Winner: Katrina Troughton – IBM |
| Executive Leadership | Winners: Guy Brent – Woolworths Group Christine Corbett – AGL Energy |
| External Media Campaign | Winner: ABCQueer - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) |
| Network Leader of the Year | Winners: Gina Mills – EY Finalists: Alan Wong – Boston Consulting Group Wayne Marshall – Capgemini Lisa Wade – NAB |
| Out Role Model | Winner: Steph Sands – Capgemini Finalists: Clinton Savage – Aussie Broadband Abigail Clark – IBM Gordon Williams – MinterEllison Daniele Gianotti – The University of Sydney |
| Sapphire Inspire | Winner: Nic Hennessy – Woolworths Group |
| Sally Webster Ally Award | Winner: Drew Bradford – NAB |
Click here to download the AWEI2021 Benchmarking Tables.
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For more information on the AWEI and Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards event, please contact the Pride in Diversity office on (02) 9206 2139 or at AWEI@prideindiversity.com.au.
For more information on ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, go to www.prideinclusionprograms.com.au
*LGBTQ – Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer