NNUAL REPORT 2016 - Diversity Council AustraliaANNUAL REPORT 2016 Diversity Council Australia Ltd...

AN N U A L R E P O R T 2016

Diversity Council Australia Ltd ACN 006 898 406 ABN 64 421 748 342 225 George Street Sydney, NSW, 2000 Phone: (02) 9322 5197 Website: www.dca.org.au Email: [email protected]

http://www.dca.org.au/

mailto:[email protected]

Copyright Diversity Council Australia, 2016 - 2 -

1 . O V E R V I E W ................................................................................................................................................................................. 3

2 . C H A I R P E R S O N ’ S R E P O R T ................................................................................................................................. 4

3 . C H I E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E R ’ S R E P O R T ...................................................................................... 5

3 . F I N A N C I A L R E S U L T S .............................................................................................................................................. 6

4 . O U R B U S I N E S S I N 2 0 1 6 ...................................................................................................................................... 8

UNIQUE RESEARCH ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8 ACCESS TO EXPERTS & CURATED RESOURCES ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 11 INSPIRING EVENTS & FORUMS ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13

5 . K E Y D I V E R S I T Y A R E A S I N 2 0 1 6 .......................................................................................................... 18

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE: CONFIDENCE GAP OR CONFIDENCE TRICK? .......................................................................................................................... 18 #WORDS AT WORK: BUILDING INCLUSION THROUGH THE POWER OF LANGUAGE ........................................................................................................................................................ 19 ELECTION 2016: WHERE DO THE MAJOR PARTIES STAND ON D&I?........................................................................................................................................................................... 20 LEADING COMPANIES GET SERIOUS ABOUT BUILDING ASIA CAPABILITY........................................................................................................................................................................ 21 FUTURE-FLEX - MAINSTREAMING FLEXIBILITY BY DESIGN ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 THE ECONOMICS OF THE GENDER PAY GAP ........................................................................................................................................................................................................ 23

6 . O U R P E O P L E ...................................................................................................................................................................... 25

7 . O U R B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S .......................................................................................................................... 29


1 . O V E R V I E W

Diversity Council Australia (DCA) is the only independent, not-for-profit workplace diversity & inclusion (D&I) advisor to business in Australia and a leading voice on workplace diversity & inclusion.

In partnership with our members, our mission is to:

1. Lead debate on diversity in the public arena; 2. Develop and promote the latest diversity research,

thinking and practice; and 3. Deliver innovative diversity practice resources and

services to enable our members to drive business improvement.

We offer a unique knowledge bank of research, practice and expertise across diversity dimensions developed over more than 30 years of operation.

We aim to improve D&I capability across Australian business.

DCA membership provides organisations with access to unique research, exciting events, comprehensive resources and unrivalled expertise across the diversity and inclusion spectrum.

Unique research

Receive premium access to our cutting edge Australian research with practical tools to drive business improvement.

Inspiring events

Attend free events exploring the latest trends across all diversity dimensions and providing access to a community of industry practitioners.

Curated resources

Take advantage of an extensive library of D&I resources collated in the members-only area of our website.

Access to experts

Access our team of experts for valuable guidance across all diversity dimensions to help you get the most out of your D&I activities.

Knowledge programs

Educate and engage your team on current D&I topics via our in-house workshops that are grounded in evidence-based research.

Show your commitment

Join existing member organisations who have enhanced their brand as an employer of choice and demonstrate your commitment to D&I through DCA membership.


2 . C H A I R P E R S O N ’ S R E P O R T

DCA has a long and distinguished history in making telling contributions to the cause of diversity in Australia.

The quality of its work and the dedication of its staff, executive and Board have been a hallmark of the Council for over thirty years.

Nonetheless, I feel confident in saying that 2016 has been a watershed year for the DCA. Membership has grown significantly. Seminal papers have been written that have made their mark across Australia’s workplaces. The number of tailored training sessions and seminars for members have reached a very significant level. The DCA began completely refreshing its website and making substantial improvements to how it engages in the virtual world. We are in a strong financial position that will enable us to continue our strategy of growth and improved member services.

All this has been achieved for three reasons. First and foremost, the need to understand diversity and to harness its benefits has never been more apparent. Our members and partners understand that and have responded strongly to what the DCA can offer.

Second, the staff and executive of the DCA have been outstanding in their commitment and dedication. The leadership of our CEO, Lisa Annese, has been a standout in all regards.

Finally, the Board has made its critical contributions to governance and to providing a long term vision for the DCA. To my fellow Board members, those currently serving, and to Anna McPhee, Jacqui Abbott and Darren Fittler who have completed their appointments, my deep thanks for the difference you have made in 2016 and beyond.

David Morrison AO DCA Chair


3 . C H I E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C E R ’ S R E P O R T

DCA had another great year in 2016, both financially and in terms of member services.

The release of our #WordsAtWork campaign on inclusive language in the workplace was the first of its kind for DCA. We received a huge amount of media profile and definitely started a nation-wide conversation about language at work.

In another first, prior to the 2016 federal election, we surveyed the major parties to inform our members about election policies that support D&I in the workplace.

In other research, we released Future-Flex to provide practical guidelines on how to implement and mainstream flexible work through job and work (re)design; new case studies on how organisations can build Asia capability; and, with KPMG and WGEA, a new study on contributors to the gender pay gap. We also consulted with members on changes to the Racial Discrimination Act and on superannuation, in response to two government inquiries.

It was a busy year for events covering all diversity dimensions as well as new areas like cancer, engaging men, privilege and domestic violence. We introduced new CEO Roundtables where our largest members met with myself and DCA Chair and 2016 Australian of the Year David Morrison AO to talk D&I.

Demand for our knowledge programs grew and we introduced two new programs, one on inclusive leadership and the other on Words At Work, both grounded in our research findings.

We also continued to provide one-on-one assistance to our members on all aspects of D&I practice, including responding to around 300 Ask DCA inquiries.

During the year, we surveyed our members about our services and they told us they value our research, website, events and publications. We are working on increasing awareness and use of key DCA services, as well as providing more practical D&I tools. As members have less time and are more saturated with news, we will also review the frequency and nature of our publications.

Use of the DCA website is growing, so we are investing in major improvements to this platform. A review and redesign of the site coupled with development of new content commenced in late 2016, ready for launch in April 2017.

On behalf of DCA’s Board of Directors and staff, I thank all members for their fantastic support of DCA, including the following organisations in particular:

Major partnership (including event sponsorship, hosting and other support) provided by:

Deloitte for providing us with office accommodation and IT support

Allegis Group, ANZ, Cisco, Gilbert + Tobin, KPMG and Xplore for Success.

Sponsorship of DCA’s research projects and events provided by:

#WordsAtWork Sponsor Aurecon

Foundation Platinum Sponsor, Norton Rose Fulbright, Platinum Sponsor, Telstra, and Support Sponsor, CIMIC Group for the Leading in the Asian Century report

Major Annual Diversity Debate Sponsor NAB, Support Sponsors Optus and Johnson & Johnson, and Associate Sponsors BAE Systems and Boardroom.Media

Gender Equality Network Sponsor Clayton Utz

Building Workplace Capability for Indigenous Australia network Sponsor Lendlease.

Event hosting provided by:

Allens, ANZ, Aurecon, Australian Human Rights Commission, Caltex Australia, IAG, Medibank, NAB, RMIT and Westpac.

Finally, I’m pleased to report that DCA membership again grew strongly from around 300 member organisations at the start of the year to nearly 400 by year-end. This demonstrates that our research, expertise, resources and events continue to provide value as well as influence the public debate and direction of D&I in Australian business.

Lisa Annese Chief Executive Officer


3 . F I N A N C I A L R E S U L T S

The following tables outline DCA’s statement of comprehensive income and financial position for the 2016 financial year. These should be read in conjunction with the full Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2016, which are available from DCA. The main source of income for DCA is membership subscriptions and advisory services. Other income supplements the core business and comprises corporate sponsorship, research sponsorship and seminar & workshop revenue.

Due to an expansion in our membership revenue, coupled with ongoing cost control, DCA produced a surplus for the 2016 year of $437,776. This surplus greatly assists in returning DCA to a solid financial footing and provides the platform for further investment in member related benefits in the pursuit of DCA’s objectives.

Further detail in regard to the financial result follows:

STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

FOR THE FINANCIAL PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER

2016 2015

$ $

Membership, sponsorship and other income

2,032,130 1,502,007

Business functions expense (104,000) (72,755)

Employee benefits expense (1,031,994) (871,798)

Depreciation expense ($871) (1,394)

Finance costs -

Other expenses ($457,489) (387,702)

Profit/(loss) for the year $437,776 168,358

Other comprehensive income - -

Total comprehensive income/(loss) for the year

$437,776 168,358


STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION AS AT 31 DECEMBER

2016 2015

$ $

CURRENT ASSETS

Cash and cash equivalents 887,864 468,410

Trade and other receivables 195,133 172,575

TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS 1,082,966 640,985

NON-CURRENT ASSETS

Property, plant and equipment 8,202 2,323

TOTAL NON-CURRENT ASSETS 8,202 2,323

TOTAL ASSETS 8,202 643,308

CURRENT LIABILITIES

Trade and other payables 112.657 67,965

Provisions 68,966 135,617

Unearned income 233,734 252,092

TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES 415,087 455,674

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES

Provisions 50,702 -

TOTAL NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES 50,702 -

TOTAL LIABILITIES 465,789 455,674

NET ASSETS 625,410 187,634

EQUITY

Retained earnings 625,410 187,634

TOTAL EQUITY 625,410 187,634


4 . O U R B U S I N E S S I N 2 0 1 6

Unique research

Research

DCA works in partnership with members to generate cutting edge Australian D&I research. Our members receive premium access to this research with practical tools to drive business improvement.

Our research agenda involved the following innovative projects completed or commenced in 2016 (for more information on the research, see section 6).

#Words At Work: Building Inclusion through the Power of Language

In June, DCA launched a new campaign call #WordsAtWork to promote greater understanding of the role that language can play in workplace cultures and the benefits that can flow from more inclusive language.

The campaign included a special campaign video featuring DCA Chair and Australian of the Year, David Morrison AO, alongside a guide to inclusive language. We also produced additional guides for members on inclusive language for specific diversity dimensions including cultural background, age, disability, Indigenous and LGBTI+.

Election 2016: Where do the major parties stand on D&I?

Prior to the federal election in July, DCA conducted a survey investigating the policies the major parties would be taking to the election that support D&I in Australian workplaces. The survey included questions about women’s workforce participation, domestic violence, pay equity, people with disability, Indigenous Australians, mature age workers, cultural diversity, LGBTI+ employees and flexible work.

Leading companies get serious about building Asia capability

DCA’s Leading in the Asian Century report published in 2015 revealed there is significant scope to better cultivate workforce Asia capability (or A-Cap) in Australian organisations. Following this report, DCA released a new series of case studies in August, in partnership with Norton Rose Fulbright and The Star Entertainment Group, to demonstrate how organisations can build Asia capability.

Future-Flex: Mainstreaming flexibility by design

In September, DCA released Future-Flex, a new initiative comprising evidence-based practical guidelines for HR and diversity practitioners and managers and team leaders, on how to implement and mainstream flexible work through job and work (re)design.

A partnership between DCA, the Retail Council, National Australia Bank, Allens, IBM, BAE Systems Australia and IAG, Future-Flex: Mainstreaming flexibility by design extends and deepens DCA’s Get Flexible! research which demonstrated how flexibility can be used as a business tool to improve individual, team and organisational productivity.

Future-Flex is a new way of thinking about workplace flexibility and is about more than just accommodating an individual’s needs – it is about re-designing work at a team or organisation level to maximise performance and wellbeing.

Advocacy with government and regulators

During 2016, DCA made submissions on behalf of members to two government inquiries with impact on diversity in the workplace (see our website for more information on DCA’s submissions):

Submission to Productivity Commission Superannuation Competitiveness and Efficiency

In September, DCA made a submission on the Productivity Commission's Superannuation Competitiveness and Efficiency draft report. The key points were:

The superannuation gender gap is a key issue for DCA and our stakeholders.

We have previously highlighted that there are inequities in our current superannuation system which leave women much less well-off in retirement than men.

DCA notes that the focus of this report is not about the gender gap in superannuation, however, we believe that the inquiry provides an opportunity for improving the outcomes for all members. To this end, DCA strongly supports those assessment criteria that will help to address some of the systemic issues that have a negative impact on women’s retirement savings.

https://www.dca.org.au/perspectives/submissions


Freedom of Speech in Australia Inquiry

DCA opposed any changes to the Racial Discrimination Act in its submission in response to the Parliamentary Inquiry on Freedom of Speech in Australia launched in November.

DCA surveyed its membership base of employer organisations and made a submission in December that supports no change to sections 18C or 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act or to the complaints-handling procedures of the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Advocacy with business

DCA’s CEO and its senior staff were invited to participate in or speak on D&I at many events, conferences and projects around Australia. Presentations were also made at many in-house member events and functions including for International Women’s Day and in areas such as unconscious bias, flexible work, inclusive language and women in leadership.

DCA spoke at several major events throughout the year including:

‘Executive Connections’, NSW Public Sector Senior Executive Event

Women in Payments Symposium 2016

‘Diversity in Leadership: A Global Story’, Engineers Australia International Women’s Day event

MBA Diversity Masterclass event, Executive Central

Roundtable discussion with Mellody Hobson, President of Ariel Investments and Chair of DreamWorks Animation, Mercer

‘Business and the Syrian refugee intake’, the Migration Council, NSW Government and Business Council of Australia

‘Empowering individuals & organisations to drive the advancement of women’, Public Sector Women in Leadership conference, Criterion Conferences

Asian Australian Leadership Summit, Liquid Learning

‘Inclusion: Harnessing diversity to drive performance’, Institute of Public Administration Australia

Annual Diversity Business Lunch, Australia – Israel Chamber of Commerce

Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Conference, Employment Law Matters

Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion Forum, Konnect Learning.

DCA also supported the following D&I events through in-kind promotion:

Women World Changers, The Growth Faculty

Workplace Diversity and Inclusion, Employment Law Matters

Public Sector Women in Leadership Summit Series, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Canberra

Leadership in Diversity & Inclusion Forum, Konnect Learning

Federation of Gay Games International Gala Awards Dinner.

Judging of D&I awards

DCA’s CEO, Lisa Annese, was on the judging panel for the following awards:

The Philanthropy Awards

The Gender-wise Philanthropy Award

Community Organisation Award category of the 2016 Human Rights Awards.

Strategic alliances & partnerships

DCA continued to develop strategic alliances and partnerships on key diversity topics where we were able to extend our sphere of influence by partnering with other high quality, suitable organisations in the field.

The University of Sydney Business School, Work and Organisational Studies Advisory Board

DCA’s CEO, Lisa Annese, joined the University of Sydney Business School, Work and Organisational Studies Advisory Board.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA)

We continued to have strong relationships with WGEA through the Gender Equality Network, as we liaised closely on all aspects of gender reporting, alongside our members.

Advocacy in the media

In 2016 DCA was very active in the media on diversity.

Early in the year, the appointment of David Morrison as 2016 Australian of the Year attracted significant coverage across all media.

Our discussion of myths on women and confidence at work that was our focus for International Women’s Day also received coverage in national media including the AFR and ABC TV News breakfast.

http://sydney.edu.au/business/wos/staff/advisory_board


Substantial media coverage was also received for the #WordsAtWork campaign launched in June.

o It was covered on all forms of media in Australia including radio, print, online and TV, and we received global coverage including in the New York Times, The Independent, Al Jazeera, Astro Awani and the BBC.

o It was also huge on social media, trending on Twitter on the launch day and by a week later we had potential reach on Twitter of some 15,694,750 people. The campaign video has to date received in excess of 42,000 views, and substantially more views would have been received on various media websites which embedded our video.

Our examination of the major parties’ policy platforms on D&I also gained national media coverage in news.com.au.

Flexible working was the topic of media coverage throughout the year, particularly around Father’s Day where it pertained to father’s access to flexible working as well as from the launch of our Future-Flex research.

Our work with KPMG and WGEA on a report exploring the contributing factors to the gender pay gap was the focus of coverage later in the year.

Our Annual Diversity Debate on engaging men also attracted pleasing coverage.

Our CEO, Lisa Annese, is on the editorial advisory council for the website Guardian Sustainable Business Australia. In 2016, she authored four opinion pieces for the site - on women and confidence, on the gender pay gap, on flexible working and on the impact of miscarriage.

Regular opinion pieces also appeared throughout the year in other publications including The Huffington Post, Pro Bono, Third Sector magazine and the Australian Institute of Management’s magazine Leadership Matters.

DCA increased its efforts on social media. Our combined presence (with Lisa Annese) continued to grow on Twitter, and exceeded 5,000 followers and achieved considerable coverage during our 2016 Debate where the debate topic was again trending on Twitter. Our Linked-In connections increased to almost 2,500 and our Facebook presence grew.

Visit the DCA website for more information on our news and coverage of DCA in 2016.

https://www.dca.org.au/news

https://www.dca.org.au/news/news-2017/news-2016

https://www.dca.org.au/news/news-2017/news-2016


Access to experts & curated resources

Members have access to our team of experts for valuable guidance across all diversity dimensions to help them get the most out of their D&I activities. They can also take advantage of an extensive library of resources collated in the members-only area of our website.

Our senior staff worked hard during 2016 to assist our members in a variety of capacities across all facets of D&I.

Knowledge programs

Our in-house knowledge programs educated and engaged teams on current D&I topics with insights grounded in DCA’s evidence-based research. This year we delivered the following programs:

‘Unconscious Bias Unplugged'

‘Mainstreaming Flexible Work – the New Frontier’

‘Beyond the Usual Suspects – What Delivers Gender Diverse Leadership’

‘Mothers and Others – Unpacking the Gender Pay Gap’

‘Diversity 101: Engaging Your Workforce – Activating Your Organisation’

‘Capitalising on Culture – Building Cultural Capability’.

Two new knowledge programs were added in 2016: ‘Inclusive Leadership’ and ‘Words At Work’.

Ask DCA service

Ask DCA is Australia’s only diversity information service that enables practitioners and business managers to access over 30 years of diversity experience, research and practice across the full range of diversity areas. This free member service assists with short enquiries about any aspect of diversity practice.

The team responded to nearly 300 queries on diversity topics such as:

Developing a D&I survey to collect employee demographics

Inclusive language for collecting information about gender identity

Cross cultural business practices including shaking hands

Use of inclusive language including in recruitment

Closing the gender pay gap

Paid parental leave

Employees undergoing transition in the workplace

Resources for addressing domestic violence and the workplace

Setting D&I targets and KPIs

Establishing employee networks and diversity councils

Improving maternal and parental leave policies

Ways to address resistance to flexible work

Ways to improve disclosure

Best practices for benchmarking internal D&I data

Best practices for setting up religious prayer spaces.

Website

DCA members have access to web-based diversity practice tools and resources on all diversity dimensions and with local, regional and global insights.

Our website at www.dca.org.au offers a members-only area with the full range of resources on every diversity dimension including work-life/flexibility, gender, cultural diversity, disability & accessibility, family & domestic violence, mental health, generational/mature age, Indigenous, LGBTIQ+, as well as resources on developing an overarching diversity strategy.

These resources comprise information on:

Business cases

Leading practice principles

Leading practice case studies

Thought leadership

http://www.dca.org.au/


Benchmarks

Toolkits

Research

Compliance and legislation

Event webcasts.

During 2016, DCA continued to build on the information on the website as a part of efforts to provide members with engaging and useful information on D&I.

An average of 8,576 sessions and 5,682 users per month visited DCA’s website in 2016. A review and redesign of the site coupled with development of new content commenced in late 2016, ready for launch of a new site in April 2017.

Publications

DCA delivered its flagship publications to keep members informed on leading thinking, practice and research on diversity. These included:

Research Matters. This members-only bulletin reports on innovative D&I research undertaken both in Australia and internationally. Visit the DCA website to see Research Matters bulletins.

Diversity Matters. This members-only newsletter showcases best practice initiatives and trends, as well as practical information on how to manage real life issues in the workplace. In 2016, it explored DCA’s WordsAtWork resources. Visit the DCA website to see the latest Diversity Matters newsletters.

Diversity Matters update. This fortnightly bulletin explores the latest diversity news. Visit the DCA website to access recent Diversity Matters Update bulletins.

Ask DCA. This bulletin investigates any common queries that we have received via the ‘Ask DCA’ service. In 2016, we covered preparing and implementing domestic violence policies, establishing an effective Diversity Council, and getting the most out of your D&I survey.

https://www.dca.org.au/news/publications/research-matters

https://www.dca.org.au/news/publications/diversity-matters

https://www.dca.org.au/news


Inspiring events & forums

DCA held 27 events throughout 2016 exploring the latest trends across all diversity dimensions and providing members with access to a community of industry practitioners. Over 3,000 were registered to attend these events that were held via teleconference, face-to-face, live streamed or via WebEx webinar with archived recordings made available to members after the event if members could not attend in person.

DCA was pleased to be able to introduce live-captioning or Auslan interpreters at all major events, to increase event accessibility, in addition to providing as event transcripts, recordings and presentation resources on the DCA website.

Visit the DCA website for more information about events.

Annual Diversity Debate

DCA staged its Annual Diversity Debate in November 2016. The topic asked if ‘engaging men’ was the game changer for gender equality. Our Major Sponsor was NAB, Supporting Sponsors Optus and Johnson & Johnson, and Associate Sponsors BAE Systems and Boardroom.Media.

For the sixth year in a row, the debate was emceed by Tony Jones, respected journalist and host of ABC TV's Q&A. The debate panel included:

For the Affirmative team, arguing that ‘engaging men’ IS the game changer for gender equality:

Kate Jenkins, Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission

Pip Marlow, Managing Director, Microsoft Australia

Stephen Barrow, Executive General Manager, Culture and Capability, National Australia Bank

For the Negative team, arguing that ‘engaging men’ IS NOT the game changer for gender equality:

Dr Michael Flood, Associate Professor, University of Wollongong

Benjamin Law, TV screenwriter, journalist and newspaper columnist

Clementine Ford, freelance writer, broadcaster and public speaker.

A record crowd of 420 CEOs, HR directors and managers attended. A final vote of the audience found ‘engaging men’ is not the game changer for

gender equality, with the audience voting in favour of the negative team by 69% to 31%.

Diversity Leadership Program

Talking about cancer - how to create cancer-friendly workplaces

DCA's first Diversity Leadership Program event for the year hosted by Medibank in Melbourne outlined how employers can better support their employees touched by cancer.

Our keynote speaker, Dr Anna Boltong was the Head of Cancer Information and Support at Cancer Council Victoria. We also heard from:

Rita Marigliani, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility & Wellbeing, Medibank

Dr Deborah Lawson, Legal Policy Advisor, McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria

Katherine Lane, Cancer Nurse Manager at Cancer Council Victoria

Daniel Peterson, CEO of iBuildNew, and former Head of Strategy for Shell Australia, who shared his personal insights about his recovery from cancer.

DCA in Perth to talk about inclusive leadership

We invited our WA-based members to join us in Perth in May for a special member briefing on inclusive leadership.

At the event, hosted by Aurecon, DCA's CEO Lisa Annese took the audience through the findings of our research, Building Inclusion: An Evidence-Based Model of Inclusive Leadership.

This was followed by a panel discussion that investigated the implications for organisations of adopting an inclusive leadership approach.

Moderated by Abbie Wright, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Aurecon, panel speakers included:

Angus Leitch, Aurecon Regional Director WA and Male Champion of Change

Jeff Pontifex, ANZ Head of Business Banking WA.

https://www.dca.org.au/events/coming


Leading the charge towards inclusive leadership

Two people who walk the talk and lead by example when it comes to inclusive leadership practice are Australian of the Year and DCA Chair David Morrison AO and former Managing Director of Apple Australia and founder of Xplore for Success Diana Ryall AM.

Both took the stage at an event in June, sponsored by DCA major partner Xplore for Success in Melbourne hosted by National Australia Bank, for a robust discussion and to share their views on inclusive leadership. This was followed by an open Q&A session.

The event was live-streamed around Australia.

"Willing to Work": Disability and age discrimination in employment

In July, the Hon Susan Ryan AO spoke to DCA members in her last week as Age and Disability Discrimination Commissioner.

At the event, which was held at the Australian Human Rights Commission in Sydney, Susan discussed the findings of the Commission’s Inquiry into employment discrimination against older Australians and Australians with disabilities.

The audience also heard from a panel of guest speakers from organisations which are leading practice in this area including:

Lend Lease talking about meeting the needs of everyone equally and designing workplaces so that each person can work and live with dignity

ANZ sharing its Accessibility and Inclusion Plan and how it is engaging stakeholders and disability community groups to change the wider community's attitudes

SageCo commenting on what employers can do to attract, retain and engage mature-age workers.


What’s in my invisible backpack? D&I through a ‘privilege’ lens

Many of us carry unearned advantages over others that we may not even be aware of. These advantages can come from our abilities, age, cultural background, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation or socio-economic status, to name a few.

This event was hosted by Westpac in Sydney, and presented by DCA and major partner Xplore for Success. At the event DCA’s Research Director Dr Jane O’Leary examined:

What privilege in the workplace looks like

How we can calculate our own ‘invisible backpack’ of privilege

Why understanding privilege is critical to working in the D&I area

How to work constructively with privilege to build more diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Guest speakers included:

Darren Fittler, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers and DCA Board Member

Kimberly Olsen, Training & Engagement Manager, ACON

Charles Prouse, Chair of Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre

Diana Ryall, Managing Director, Xplore for Success.


Research launches

WordsAtWork: Building inclusion through the power of language

DCA launched new research in June on the power of inclusive language in building workplace culture.

At the event, hosted by DCA major partner Deloitte in Sydney, our Research Director Dr Jane O’Leary outlined what inclusive language is, why it matters and debunked commonly held myths (e.g. ‘People are oversensitive’, ‘It’s so PC!’). She also showcased new resources DCA members can use to build inclusive language.

DCA’s CEO Lisa Annese then led a thought provoking discussion on the challenges and opportunities for achieving more inclusive language. Our guest panel included:

Lieutenant General (retired) David Morrison AO, DCA Chair and Australian of the Year 2016

Scott Powell, Unit Manager - Environment and Advisory, Aurecon

Dr Jane O’Leary, Research Director, DCA.


Developing workforce Asian capability: Leading Practice Case Studies webinar

In September 2015, DCA released the initial report on Leading in the Asian Century: A National Scorecard of Australia’s Workforce Asia Capability,


which revealed there is significant scope to better cultivate workforce Asia capability in Australian organisations.

Following on from DCA's research, this event explored leading practice case studies on building workforce Asia capability.

Several companies have embraced the need to become more adept at interacting with Asian markets and they shared their work with other DCA member organisations during this one hour WebEx webinar (provided by DCA major partner Cisco).

Case studies were presented by:

Greg Hawkins, Managing Director, The Star Sydney and Christine Ung, Group Diversity & Inclusion Manager, The Star Entertainment Group

Nick McHugh, Partner and National Co-Chair D&I Committee, Norton Rose Fulbright

Troy Roderick, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Telstra and Addis O’Sullivan, Leadership Capability Specialist, Telstra.

Future-Flex: Mainstreaming flexibility by design

DCA’s Future-Flex research was launched at an event hosted by IAG in Sydney in September.

At the event, Dr Graeme Russell, internationally renowned researcher and industry consultant on diversity, flexibility and organisational change, discussed this new mindset. He also showcased new guidelines DCA members can use to effectively implement and mainstream flexible work through work design, particularly in a retail environment (i.e. retail corporate offices, retail outlets and organisations with a retail network).

DCA’s CEO Lisa Annese led a discussion on the challenges and opportunities for mainstreaming flexible work through work design. Panelists included:

Kristy Macfarlane, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, NAB

Steve Fitzpatrick, Executive General Manager of Distribution, IAG

Ian Irving, Director of Design & Construction, Chair of Diversity & Inclusion Council, Scentre Group

Dr Graeme Russell.


Networks

Gender Reporting Network

DCA’s Gender Reporting Network, proudly sponsored by Clayton Utz (with WebEx facilities provided by Cisco where required), is open exclusively to DCA members and is designed to assist them in their preparations to meet reporting requirements on gender and to explore leading practice on gender diversity programs. It is DCA’s most popular network.

Our first meeting in February held via teleconference (provided by Message Stick sponsored by the Cimic Group) discussed the United Nations Women's Empowerment Principles which are aimed at empowering women to participate fully in economic life across all sectors. DCA member CBA also shared its efforts to increase female representation in senior leadership roles by setting gender targets, as well as its successful application for the prestigious Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation. Speakers included:

Julie McKay, Executive Director of the National Committee for UN Women and Gender Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force

Edyta Torpy, GM Diversity & Inclusion, Commonwealth Bank

Vanessa Paterson, Advice and Reporting Executive Manager, Workplace Gender Equality Agency.

The new Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Libby Lyons, was our special guest at the May meeting of network, hosted by Clayton Utz in Sydney.

Our August meeting hosted by Clayton Utz in Melbourne was an opportunity for members to meet the new Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Kate Jenkins, and ask questions about the issues she will be prioritizing.

These last two events were live-streamed around Australia.

Building Cultural Capability Network

DCA’s Building Cultural Capability Network, proudly sponsored by major partner Deloitte, provides all members, and in particular multi-national corporations, with a unique opportunity to share insights, challenges and experiences on building cultural capability within their diverse organisations.

In August, members joined us for a network event that looked at the barriers Australian Muslims face when it comes to work and how organisations can tackle discrimination and create more inclusive workplaces.


Hosted by DCA major partner Gilbert + Tobin in Sydney, this event featured Mariam Veiszadeh, Lawyer and President of the Islamophobia Register Australia as the special keynote speaker and discussed:

Religious vilification in the workplace

Islamophobia and anti-Muslim prejudices

Particular issues facing women in the Australian Muslim community

How organisations can tackle discrimination and create more inclusive workplaces.

Following Mariam’s address, DCA CEO Lisa Annese led a panel discussion. Speakers were:

Randa Abdel Fattah, Australian Muslim writer of Palestinian and Egyptian parentage

Hakan Harman, Chief Executive Officer of Multicultural NSW

Deb Howcroft, Executive General Manager, Organisational Development, Commonwealth Bank

Mariam Veiszadeh, President Islamophobia Register Australia.


Building workplace capability for Indigenous Australia

In 2016, DCA established a new network to examine leading practice in building workplaces to make the most of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent.

The Building Workplace Capability for Indigenous Australia network, sponsored by Lendlease is run exclusively for DCA members, and is designed to profile leading practice in attraction, retention and promotion of Indigenous talent; improve understanding of Indigenous cultures and issues; build organisational capability in this area; and involve both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to share information and build relationships.

Our first event, held in September in Sydney at Lendlease, explored developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and best practice in Indigenous employment. Guest speakers were:

Darryl Monaghan, General Manager – RAPs, Reconciliation Australia

Liz Potter, Head of Indigenous Affairs, Lendlease

Amber Roberts, Adviser, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner at Australian Human Rights Commission.


Diversity in the Legal Profession Network

DCA’s diversity networking group exclusively for members in the legal profession is designed for law firms and individuals working within DCA member organisations who hold a legal role such as in-house lawyers or corporate counsel. The network is hosted by Gilbert + Tobin via videoconference in Sydney and Melbourne and via teleconference elsewhere.

The first event in March featured two special guest speakers, each with a law degree, who work in the legal world in different ways and have different experiences and insights into working with disability.

Darren Fittler, Lawyer at Gilbert + Tobin and the lead partner in the firm’s Third Sector Advisory Group and DCA Director

Alastair McEwin, Executive Director of Community Legal Centres NSW, the peak body for 39 Community Legal Centres in NSW.

The second event in July discussed alternative billing practices for greater flexibility, diversity and sustainability. Guest speakers included:

Pauline Wright, Director Law Council of Australia, Member of the Law Council of Australia’s Equalising Opportunities before the Law Committee and partner at P J Donnelan & Co

Melissa Lyon, Business Development Consultant, Hive Legal.

Diversity in Technology Network

The first network event for the year was held in March via WebEx (provided by DCA major partner Cisco) and featured a diversity and inclusion case study from leading technology firm, Cisco, and also explored the broader issue of technology and accessibility that is applicable to all sectors. Speakers were:

Tim Fawcett, Cisco’s Director Corporate and Government Affairs and DCA Director

Sean Murphy, Cisco’s Compliance Accessibility Software Engineer.

Has technology helped or hindered work-life balance? This was the topic of the second network event of the year, hosted by RMIT in Melbourne in December. We explored the pros and cons of technology for flexible working \with the following guest speakers:


Paul Oppenheimer, Chief Information Officer, RMIT

Jen Goeldner, Senior Manager, User Technology, Collaboration & Mobility, IAG

Tim Fawcett, Director Corporate and Government Affairs, Cisco Systems Australia

Anne Bardoel, Associate Professor, Department of Management, Monash University.


CEO D&I Roundtables

DCA introduced a new series of roundtables with CEOs from our larger member organisations who are some of Australia’s biggest employers.

At the roundtables, CEOs met with David Morrison AO, DCA Chair and 2016 Australian of the Year and DCA’s CEO, Lisa Annese, to discuss opportunities and challenges for D&I in the workplace.

The first event was hosted by ANZ in Sydney in March, and CEOs from ANZ, Uniting Ageing, QBE Insurance, KPMG, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, Department of Finance, Services & Innovation, Arup and University of New South Wales attended.

The second event was hosted by Caltex Australia in Sydney in June, and CEOs from Caltex Australia, Accor Asia Pacific Corporation, AGL Energy, Lendlease, John Holland and BAE Systems Australia attended.

The third event was hosted by Allens in Melbourne in August, and CEOs from Allens, Lion, Medibank, Myer, Ernst & Young Services Trust and University of Tasmania attended.

The fourth event was hosted by IAG in Sydney in November and CEOs from Insurance Australia Group, Aurecon Australasia, Boral, IBM Australia Limited, McDonald's Australia, UGL and Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers attended.

Partner events

Workplace responses to gender based violence

In 2016, DCA partnered with the Full Stop Foundation (a new initiative of Rape & Domestic Violence Services Australia or R&DVSA) and KPMG to offer DCA members a series of five special educational workshops, hosted at KPMG offices in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, focused on learning ways to respond with compassion to those who have experienced sexual assault, domestic and family violence.

The workshops were designed to help participants to better understand why gender-based violence is a workplace issue and how to respond. Each workshop featured approximately 25 participants in a setting conducive to trusted group sharing to learn about:

Myths and realities of sexual assault, domestic and family violence

Evidence and relevant legislative matters

How impacts of trauma may present in the workplace

Tactics used by perpetrators

Trauma and other impacts of sexual assault and domestic violence

How a traumatised person may present in the workplace

Skills in responding compassionately to a person who has experienced sexual assault and/or family violence

Workplace strategies to create a supportive workplace culture

The importance of self-care and strategies to reduce vicarious trauma

Support services within the workplace and externally.

The workshops were facilitated by R&DVSA services staff and were held in Sydney in March and October, Melbourne in July and November and Perth in May.


5 . K E Y D I V E R S I T Y A R E A S I N 2 0 1 6

DCA’s key areas of focus on D&I for 2016 centered on busting myths on women and confidence; inclusive language; major parties’ election policies on D&I; case studies on Asia capability; mainstreaming flexibility by work redesign; and the contributors to the gender pay gap.

International Women’s Day: Women in the workplace: confidence

gap or confidence trick?

Step up; speak out; come forward. Time and time again, women in the workplace are told that it’s our lack of confidence that’s keeping us from the corner office, the C-suite and the big bonuses. But will more confidence smash the glass ceiling and shrink the pay gap or is something else going on? In the lead up to International Women’s Day on 8 March 2016, DCA shone a spotlight on women and the ‘confidence gap’.

Lisa Annese, DCA’s CEO said that it’s a very common belief that women lack confidence or ambition in the workplace but research shows it’s much more complicated than this.

“Most women begin their careers with comparable levels of confidence as their male peers. They also have similar career aspirations. Over time though, male-centric leadership models and workplace cultures inadvertently promote men and penalise women for being confident, assertive or ambitious.

“What is clear is that simply saying women need to be more confident or ambitious just isn’t going to fix the problem. Gender biases can be hidden within many organisational processes, especially within talent management and remuneration systems, and can adversely impact women’s career progression. Gender biases can also be hidden within many people’s views and decision-making – and that holds true for women as well as men.

“If organisations are asking women to step up in a system that is biased against them, then it will take more than confidence for them to actually succeed,” said Lisa.

There are a lot of myths and misinformation out there about women and confidence in the workplace that can mask underlying problems. DCA has looked at the evidence to help organisations sort out the myths from the facts.

Myth 1: Women lack confidence at work

Fact: Research shows that when women and men are starting off in their careers, they have comparable leadership ambitions and there are no significant differences in their career aspirations. This however changes as they progress through their career. Women report a 60% decrease in ambition and a 50% decrease in confidence to reach top management. Men on the other hand, report no change in their aspiration and only a 10% decrease in their confidence to reach the top jobs. Why does this happen? Over time, women with growing career experience report not being able to imagine themselves fitting into the ‘typical stereotype of success’, not receiving important sponsorship from influential leaders, and not being able to access the work and career flexibility they need to. These factors combine to wear down women’s confidence and aspirations over time.

Myth 2: Women don’t have leadership presence

Fact: One of the great leadership myths is that the ‘best leaders have executive presence’. In fact this idea is rooted in gender bias as traits such as confidence, authority, decisiveness, and assertiveness are more commonly associated with men so when we ‘think manager’ we in fact ‘think male’. A woman’s voice pitch, height and physical build can all interfere with perceptions of their authority. When men use proactive career tactics such as seeking out high-profile projects, networking with leaders or making their accomplishments more visible, they are more likely to be rewarded for this behaviour. Women on the other hand are not – in fact, the research shows they are more often than not penalised. Why is this? Gender biases in the workplace can unintentionally be embedded into organisational systems and culture and exclude those that do not fit the traditional male leadership model. Women are not making it through to senior leadership positions not because they are not confident enough, but because they face systemic barriers preventing them from being promoted.

Myth 3: Women don’t negotiate for pay rises

Fact: Studies show that while women are less likely to request a pay rise than men, there is a good reason why. It has been found that women are penalised for initiating negotiations for higher compensation far more than men are. Although attempting to negotiate pay can make both men and women appear less nice, researchers have repeatedly found that it’s


only women who subsequently suffer a penalty. They are often perceived as being less easy to work with, be it as co-workers, subordinates, or bosses, and this is particularly so when people directly observe women engaging in salary negotiations. Implicit gender biases mean that when women stand up for themselves and assert their position strongly in negotiations, it can backfire for them.

Myth 4: Women choose to opt out

Fact: Survey data and other research suggest that when high-achieving, highly educated professional women leave their jobs after becoming mothers, only a small number do so because they prefer to devote themselves exclusively to motherhood. The vast majority leave reluctantly and as a last resort, because they find themselves in unfulfilling roles with few prospects for advancement. The message that they are no longer considered ‘players‘ is communicated in various, sometimes subtle ways: they may have been stigmatized for taking advantage of flexible working options or reduced schedules, passed over for high-profile assignments, or removed from projects they once led.

Myth 5: It’s just a matter of time before the problem will be fixed

Fact: Currently in Australia, only 15.4% of CEO positions and 27.4% of key management personnel positions are held by women. Relying on the pipeline to channel women to the top jobs is problematic because the pipeline is both slow, and works better for men. If we look at the last ten years of data in Australia on the progression of women into CEO roles and extrapolate that forward, it would take another 270 years until we reach gender parity. So the rate of change is glacial to say the least. The pipeline also works better for men with studies tracking high potential MBA graduates showing that from the first role onwards, women are behind men in promotion, pay and career satisfaction.

DCA’s top five tips for getting women to the top:

1. Introduce gender conscious rather than gender blind initiatives. These can include recruitment programs aimed at women, sponsorship programs (see below), or the introduction of gender targets.

2. Implement sponsorship programs for women. High-potential women are often already mentored, but under sponsored when compared to their male peers. Sponsorship is more likely to produce improved outcomes for women because women can be penalised for self-promoting behaviour. A sponsor can advocate on their behalf and to subvert this commonly held unconscious bias.

3. Address gender bias. Many organisations may be unknowingly practicing gender bias in recruitment and promotion processes. These biases can be both unconscious and conscious and need to be identified and addressed. Individuals can also practice gender biases in their attitudes, behaviours and decision making and organisations may have gender bias embedded into their culture, policies and practices.

4. Don’t rely on the ‘squeaky wheel’. Look closely at performance and outcomes when it comes to promotion and remuneration, rather than rewarding those who speak the loudest or put in the most ‘face-time’.

5. Move beyond ‘think leader = think male’. Great leaders can come in many different forms.

#Words At Work: Building Inclusion through the Power of

Language

In June, DCA launched a new campaign to promote greater understanding of the role that language can play in workplace cultures and the benefits that can flow from more inclusive language.

David Morrison AO, DCA Chair who appears in the campaign video #WordsAtWork said language plays a critical role in shaping workplace cultures.

“For some time I have been advocating that everyone in our society, from all genders, races, creeds, ages, disabilities, religions or sexual orientations, be given a chance to achieve their potential.

“Unfortunately, in many workplaces, this isn’t always the case. People use language to denigrate others and to take away their self-respect. Sometimes it happens unconsciously, but the effect is the same.

“DCA’s new campaign is not about being ‘politically correct’ – it is about encouraging people to use language at work which is respectful, accurate, and relevant to everyone,” said David.

Why language matters:

Language is a powerful tool for building inclusion at work. It can be used to create a sense of being valued, respected and one of the team (included) or of being under-valued, disrespected, and an ‘outsider’ (excluded).

Research demonstrates that inclusive cultures are high performing cultures – they deliver greater performance and productivity. How we speak to and


about each other influences how we treat each other, and this builds our workplace cultures. Studies show that:

Non-inclusive language contributes to and continues stereotyping, and harms people who witness it as well as the intended targets

When used in job interviews, non-inclusive language results in applicants from excluded groups finding the position less attractive, and experiencing less motivation and identification with the position than those who are exposed to inclusive language

Non-inclusive comments in the workplace can have an insidious effect on individuals from the excluded groups, impeding their advancement by presenting them as incompetent and not suitable for leadership roles

Frequent non-inclusive experiences at work have just as harmful effects as more intense but less frequent experiences (e.g. sexual coercion and harassment)

Non-inclusive jokes can lead to tolerance of hostile feelings and discrimination against people from excluded groups.

New tools for workplaces:

DCA developed a campaign video, series of guides and an education program for workplaces to show how inclusive language can improve workplace culture and drive productivity.

In speaking with businesses across the country, DCA CEO Lisa Annese has noticed that workplaces are struggling to find guidance on how best to encourage more inclusive language.

“Day in day out, workplace culture is created every time there is an interaction between two individuals. Language is the fabric that underpins these interactions and it can either contribute to inclusion or lead to exclusion. In these days of social media, we are surrounded by wall to wall chatter. You could say that words have never been more important.

“DCA’s new tools will help organisations build more inclusive workplaces which can result in benefits like improved productivity and profitability, greater creativity and innovation, higher employee wellbeing and engagement and reduced employee turnover, to name just a few. For employers this means very concrete bottom line financial benefits,” said Lisa.

Aurecon’s Global Chief Executive Officer, Giam Swiegers, said inclusive language is key to creating diverse and inclusive workplaces.

“At Aurecon we work with clients and staff in regions as culturally diverse as South Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. As a global engineering and infrastructure advisory company we are committed to becoming a more innovative organisation that provides unique solutions to our clients’ challenges. This can only be achieved in a work environment where everyone can feel valued and is therefore willing to contribute. Inclusive leadership and inclusive language gets to the heart of creating diverse organisations. Our partnership on the WordsAtWork project in particular is an example of the progress Aurecon is making with its diversity and inclusion effort,” said Giam.

Building Inclusion: #WordsatWork: A campaign for more inclusive workplaces is a partnership initiative between DCA and Aurecon and we sincerely thank Aurecon for their leadership and vision in supporting this project.

Visit the DCA website to access the campaign video and guide to inclusive language. Members have exclusive access to a special video from DCA chair David Morrison and guides on inclusive language for specific diversity dimensions including cultural background, age, disability, Indigenous and LGBTI+.

Election 2016: Where do the major parties stand on D&I?

Prior to the federal election in July, DCA conducted a survey investigating the policies the major parties would be taking to the election that support diversity and inclusion in Australian workplaces.

CEO, Lisa Annese said that government has an important role to play in supporting diversity and inclusion in Australian workplaces.

“As the independent not for profit diversity advisor to business, DCA leads debate on diversity in the public arena. In order to keep our members informed, we asked the major parties a series of questions from DCA’s own research about where they stand on diversity and inclusion in Australian workplaces.

“The Coalition and the Labor Party have responded to our survey and today we are releasing their responses to let our members know where the parties stand on diversity and inclusion,” said Lisa.

DCA’s survey included questions about the following issues:

1. Women’s workforce participation. Policies in relation to the availability, affordability and accessibility of childcare, access to a national paid parental leave scheme, genuine shared responsibility for parenting, care and other domestic responsibilities, policies and

https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/wordsatwork-building-inclusion-through-power-language


programs to increase women in leadership and women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

2. Domestic violence. Policies in relation to supporting and protecting victims of domestic violence in the workplace.

3. Pay equity. Actions to close the gender pay gap given that a KPMG report commissioned by DCA found that closing the gap would be good for industry, resulting in greater competitiveness and economic output with workers better matched to their capabilities; reduced costs through lower staff turnover; and greater retention of skilled and knowledgeable staff.

4. People with disability. Actions to improve the employment opportunities of people with disability.

5. Carers. Support for workers who are also carers (caring for people with disability etc).

6. Indigenous Australians. Actions to drive workforce participation for Indigenous Australians.

7. Mature age workers. Actions to support workforce participation and retention of mature age workers.

8. Cultural diversity. Policies to enable workforce participation of people from culturally diverse backgrounds and actions to improve Asia capability for the future workforce, given that DCA’s research shows that leveraging cultural diversity can assist organisations broaden their strategic perspective, innovate and address projected workforce requirements; and that Australia’s workforce Asia capability needs to be improved.

9. LGBTI+ employees. Actions to ensure that workplaces are welcoming and inclusive of all employees and customers, from all sexual orientations, gender identities or intersex status, given that DCA’s research has found significant concerns about continued discrimination among Australian LGBTI+ employees.

10. Flexible work. Measures to enable the mainstreaming of flexible work for all people, given that DCA research shows that flexibility is an important employment and retention driver but meaningful flexible work and careers do not yet exist.

Visit the website to see the full Coalition and Labor responses to the survey.

Leading companies get serious about building Asia capability

DCA’s Leading in the Asian Century report published in 2015 revealed there is significant scope to better cultivate workforce Asia capability (or A-Cap) in Australian organisations.

DCA released a new series of case studies in August following on from the report, in partnership with Norton Rose Fulbright and The Star Entertainment Group, to demonstrate how organisations can build Asia capability.

Lisa Annese, DCA’s CEO, said these organisations understand the business case for fostering workforce Asia capability.

“There is little doubt that Asia presents enormous opportunities for Australian organisations. Seven out of Australia’s top ten export markets are in Asia, and constitute 66% of our total export market. More than 50% of the world’s population lives in Asia and its consumer demand is worth US$10 trillion annually, similar to the U.S.

“However, our research found only one in ten (10.8%) of all Australian workers have excellent Asia capability and one third (34.7%) have none or very little. Close to two-thirds of workers have no or very little working knowledge of how to effectively manage in Asian business contexts.

“As these case studies show, there’s a lot organisations can do to build their Asia capability. The first step is to establish a clear business case linked to business goals, as well as to measure existing levels of (Asian) cultural diversity and capability to establish a base line. From there, they can set a strategy with transparent and measurable objectives to achieve the desired outcomes,” said Lisa.

Key factors in the Norton Rose Fulbright and The Star Entertainment Group’s case studies were reviewing the organisation’s business strategies with the aim of making the most of the Asian opportunity and Australia’s multicultural society, and assessing the Asia capability profile of the workforce.

DCA’s guidelines on how to capitalise on workforce Asia capability include:

Create A Compelling Case. Review your organisation’s business strategies to ensure these are making the most of the Asian opportunity and Australia’s multicultural society.

Craft an Asia Capabilities Framework. Develop a Workforce Asia Capabilities framework which: defines and describes individual and organisational Asia capability; identifies which particular Asia capabilities are critical to meet your organisation’s operational needs

https://www.dca.org.au/news-articles/election-2016-where-do-major-parties-stand-di


now and into the future; and specifies how Asia capabilities will be monitored and reported on over time.

Analyse Your Workforce Asia Capability. Use DCA’s survey tool to measure and benchmark the Asia capability profile of your workforce.

Recognise & Reward Asia Capable Talent. When recruiting, promoting and remunerating, place high value on candidates having Asian experience, Asian cultural identity, multiple cultural identities and experience working in or managing culturally diverse teams. Research shows people with these experiences and characteristics have higher Cultural Intelligence and can generate positive outcomes for the business.

Develop Your Workforce Asia Capabilities. Invest in building the Asia capabilities of your workforce and your leadership team through providing Asian cultural capability and intercultural awareness training, immersion experiences for staff (e.g. overseas placements in Asian offices, study tours), and access to written information and resources on Asian markets and cultural/political environments.

‘Asia capability’ (A-Cap) is defined as individuals’ ability to interact effectively in Asian countries and cultures, and with people from Asian cultural backgrounds, to achieve work goals.

Leading in the Asian Century: A National Scorecard of Australia’s Workforce Asia Capability is a partnership research initiative between Foundation Platinum Sponsor, Norton Rose Fulbright, Platinum Sponsor, Telstra, Supporting Sponsor, the CIMIC Group with assistance from Asialink Business.

Members can visit the DCA website for the new case studies as well as the full research report, synopsis report and quiz to test your Asia capability released in 2015.

Future-Flex - Mainstreaming Flexibility By Design

DCA’s new research project, Future-Flex, released in September, seeks to challenge and change mindsets and outdated assumptions about the nature of work, the ‘ideal’ worker (who is full time with no responsibilities outside of work), and what drives performance and productivity in organisations.

“Future-Flex gives organisations the tools to mainstream flexibility by looking at work design with the team, and the whole organisation, in mind rather than coming up with ad-hoc arrangements,” said Lisa.

“Those organisations that fail to adopt a different approach to flexible work will be unable to experience the benefits or meet future challenges – and that’s not good for anyone,” added Lisa.

What is driving change?

Employees. The demands and expectations of today’s diverse, multi-generational, mobile workforce are transforming where, when and how we work. In Australia, more mothers with children are employed than ever before and dual-earner families are commonplace, with 63% of two parent families with dependent children having both parents employed. Workforce participation rates of older workers are rising. All these employee segments seek flexible work and this demand is only likely to increase in the future.

Globalisation. Globalisation, the development of a 24/7 marketplace, and the rapid expansion of the services economy are also having a transformational effect on the workplace, requiring organisations to think creatively about how they can best organise jobs and work to respond to an increasingly diverse and demanding consumer/client base. Companies are increasingly working across time zones and with global virtual teams.

Technology. Technology is both a driver and an enabler of flexibility. Technology has dramatically reshaped workplaces, blurring the boundaries between work and home and diversifying where, when and how employees work. Advances in mobile, internet and cloud technologies, the rapid development of computing power, the computerised connection of multiple objects, and the increasing relevance of Big Data have all driven workplace innovations such as remote working, telecommuting, co-working spaces, video/teleconferencing, and virtual teams and collaboration.

Culture. Like technology, organisational culture is both a driver and an enabler of flexibility, arguably the most critical of all enablers. Building a culture of future-focused flexibility requires a sustained strategic change approach that is structured around business goals and outcomes and is supported at the highest levels of an organisation.

https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/leading-asian-century-national-scorecard-australia%E2%80%99s-workforce-asia-capability


How should workplaces respond?

DCA has developed new Future-Flex tools to build flexible teams, jobs and organisations, with a specific focus on retail environments. The tools were developed following a review of international and national industry and academic literature about workplace flexibility and the future of work; interviews and liaison with staff working in a retail environment; and our own extensive experience assisting workforces make flexible work and flexible careers standard business practice.

Future-Flex creates organisations in which employees can access flexibility for all roles, for any reason, and can have successful engaged careers. This new approach:

Starts with the Team. More than just accommodating an individual’s needs, Future-Flex is about re-designing work at a team or whole of

organisation level. Employees are key partners in developing team‐based flexibility solutions that work.

Treats Flexibility as a Business-Tool. Future-Flex emphasises the goals of both the organisation and its employees. It focuses on flexible work that boosts the performance and wellbeing of organisations, teams and individuals. Meeting business goals in areas such as customer service, innovation, growth and efficiency is central to Future-Flex.

Considers Culture. Future-Flex recognises that organisational and team cultures are critical to the success of workplaces where employees can access flexibility for all roles and for any reason, and can have successful, engaged careers.

Challenges Bias. Shifting to a Future-Flex mindset involves being aware of our own biases – conscious and unconscious. Many people make assumptions about what it means to be a flexible worker (e.g. about people’s career aspirations, interest in training and development, levels of commitment to the organisation etc.) Future-Flex tools explore and challenge these biases.

Future-Flex is a partnership initiative between DCA, the Retail Council, National Australia Bank, Allens, IBM, BAE Systems Australia and IAG. The project extends and deepens DCA’s ground-breaking Get Flexible! Mainstreaming Flexible Work in Australian Business research released in 2012, which demonstrated how flexibility can be used as a business tool to improve individual, team and organisational productivity.

Members should visit the website to access tools especially designed for the retail sector and download the Synopsis Report or Full Members-only Report.

The Economics of the Gender Pay Gap

Recent public debate reveals widespread lack of community understanding about pay equity – what it is, why it exists, and what can be done to address it – as well as a tendency to minimise or explain away the gender pay gap in Australia through reference to ‘women’s choices.’

In conjunction with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), DCA sought the assistance of KPMG Australia to update work they did in this field back in 2009 and thus help improve understanding of the underlying causes of the gender pay gap.

A new report released in October entitled She's Price(d)less: The economics of the gender pay gap uses structured econometric modelling to determine the factors that underpin the gender pay gap, and to what extent they contribute.

The report demonstrates that pay inequity isn’t just a social justice issue – it’s an economic imperative. Case studies in the Executive Companion highlight the excellent work that Australian organisations are already doing to tackle pay inequality in their own teams, organisations and industry sectors.

DCA is proud to be part of this conversation and hopes that this report will be the impetus to closing the gap as soon as possible.

What is driving the gender pay gap?

The drivers of the gender pay gap are complex. However, disturbingly the report found the single largest factor contributing to the gender pay gap is sex discrimination and it is on the rise.

Other significant factors include human capital and educational qualifications, on-the-job training and accreditation, work experience and tenure.

Key findings

Sex discrimination continues to be the single largest factor contributing to the gender pay gap – increasing from 35% in 2007 to 38% in 2014. This includes direct discrimination as well as indirect factors such as unconscious bias.

Industrial and occupational segregation continue to be significant contributing factors to the gender pay gap – However, between 2007 and 2014, there appears to have been more success in addressing

https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/future-flex-mainstreaming-flexibility-design


the gap attributable to occupational segregation (i.e. more women in senior roles) than that for industry segmentation (i.e. men working in higher paying industries such as mining and women in industries with lower rates of pay) esp. health and social services), and this may provide guidance when attempting to address the gender pay gap.

There has been a significant decrease in the impact of part-time employment – One possible explanation for this is that between 2007 and 2014, across both genders, the largest increase in share of part-time employees was in women within higher income quintiles.

The impact of tenure with current employer on the gender pay gap has reduced – The 2014 results indicate that women have worked with their current employer for six and a half years, which is half a year longer than was found in 2007. The impact of tenure with an employer on the gender pay gap has reduced from 4% in 2007 to 1% in 2014.

There has been a decrease in the impact of employer type on the gender pay gap – The impact of employer type on the gender pay

gap has reduced from 3% in 2007 to 0.4% in 2014. However, in both the public and private sectors, men occupy a significantly larger proportion of higher income earning groups.

The largest changing factor having a significant impact on the gender pay gap is years not working – career and work interruptions are responsible for 21% of the proportion of the gender pay gap in 2014 compared to 9% in 2007. However, this result must be interpreted with caution, noting that the 2014 wave of the HILDA survey excluded ‘access to unpaid maternity leave’ as a factor, which was present in the 2007 survey but omitted in 2014 as a result of the introduction of a Government funded Paid Parental Leave scheme. Having said this, in both reports it is clear that interruptions in work history continue to play a role in explaining the gender pay gap.

Members should visit the DCA website to access the full report, executive companion and infographic.

https://www.dca.org.au/research/project/economics-gender-pay-gap


6 . O U R P E O P L E

DCA's outstanding team of dedicated professionals includes is representative of many diversity dimensions including age, cultural diversity, disability, gender, Indigenous and LGBTIQ+:

Lisa Annese, Chief Executive Officer

Lisa Annese has been Chief Executive Officer for Diversity Council Australia since 2 June 2014. In this role, she leads a team of professionals to:

Lead debate on diversity in the public arena

Develop and promote the latest diversity research, thinking and practice; and

Deliver innovative diversity practice resources and services to enable our members to drive business improvement.

Lisa is a regular contributor to publications and regularly presents and speaks publicly in all areas of diversity.

Prior to this, Lisa was Programs & Member Services Director for DCA where she specialised in providing advice and education to DCA members to improve business capability in diversity management. She also developed DCA’s relationship with the UN Global Alliance and the UN Global Compact.

Other career highlights for Lisa include:

Working as the first dedicated Diversity Manager at Corrs Chambers Westgarth who later won the Lawyers Weekly Firm Diversity Award.

At the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (formerly EOWA), developing the first ever census of ‘Australian Women in Leadership’, the first ever ‘Business Achievement Awards’, the creation of the ‘Employer of Choice for Women’ citation and the development and implementation of the policy framework for the EOWA Act (1999) with Australian businesses. For her contribution at EOWA, she was awarded a Medal for Significant Contribution to the Australian Public Service.

Co-authoring “Chief Executives Unplugged: CEO’s Get Real About Women in the Workplace” which was named a “must-read business book” by AFR/BOSS magazine.

Lisa has a business degree from UTS (Sydney) and a Graduate Diploma in Human Resources. She is raising three independent and broad minded daughters with her husband in Sydney and is heavily involved in local community activities with them.

Cathy Brown, Policy & Research Manager

Cathy comes to DCA from a background working as a political advisor across a range of offices in Government and Opposition.

Cathy was an advisor to the NSW Education Minister where she oversaw the introduction of new programs such as an intensive reading centre of excellence, piloting of an anti-bullying initiative for LGBTI students, and dramatic changes to the way support for students with a disability could be provided in schools.

Before that, Cathy worked in policy at the ABC.

Cathy has an undergraduate degree in Communications and a Master’s in Social Inquiry from the University of Technology, Sydney. Her thesis explored issues for gay and lesbian seniors as they aged.

Cathy is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion and is a community activist for LGBTI people and their families.

Cathy lives in Marrickville with her partner, two kids and cat, Paulie.

In her spare time Cathy is a Commonwealth registered Marriage Celebrant.

Karla Dunbar, Operations & Support Assistant

Karla has been with DCA since 2016 where she completed a 12 month internship. She has now joined the DCA team providing high level support to all aspects of the business, particularly to communications and operations, members’ services, event management and office management. She also contributes to the production of DCA publications and research and has helped the IT project team to implement and advise staff on the new database and website.

Karla recently completed her Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Politics and Journalism at the University of Notre Dame Australia. During her studies she has undertook internships with ‘Mamamia Women’s


Network’, Australia’s largest independent women’s website and the Legal and Governance Department of Fire & Rescue NSW.

Currently living on Sydney’s Northern Beaches she is commencing her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.

Simone Earl, Office Manager / EA to the CEO

Simone Earl joined DCA in 2013 as the Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the CEO. She provides high level administrative support to the CEO but also plays a crucial role in managing DCA memberships, accounts, handling proposals for consulting work and providing assistance with event management.

Simone has a pertinent understanding of business coordination, bringing over ten years of office management and administration experience to DCA.

Simone’s career has spanned across the entertainment, government, banking & finance and FMCG industries. Simone also works with the Attorney General & justice Department on a contract basis within their restorative justice programs. In her spare time she also volunteers with various Sydney and regional community groups.

Yvette Edwards, Member Services Coordinator

Yvette re-joined DCA in 2015 as Member Services Coordinator to provide high level assistance for DCA members and event coordination of our Legal and IT networks. Yvette originally started with DCA in 2009 as Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the then CEO, Nareen Young.

Her work history revolves around various EA/PA and event management roles in a range of industries. Most recently Yvette was PA to a retired senior partner at Deloitte whose role was to leverage his relationships with state and national political leaders.

Prior to this she was in a PA role for a Director of Digital Development at Village Roadshow and EA to the Deputy Chairman at Ray White Real Estate.

Yvette has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in philosophy and psychology from The University of Sydney.

Sue Flockart, Events Manager

As Events Manager, Sue Flockart’s role is to work in partnership with DCA members to present an exciting calendar of events, including face to face events, teleconferences, research launch events, corporate networking and DCA’s annual diversity debate. All DCA events are designed to ensure that the members have access to cutting edge diversity thinking with a focus on

commercial application for member businesses that can be applied within the workplace to drive best practice.

Sue’s key focus in this role involves liaising with academics, industry, and DCA members to engage speakers and coordinate the timely delivery of a robust calendar of events.

Prior to joining the DCA team in February 2012, Sue has worked for the past 16 years within the broader exhibition and events industry. Her breadth of event experience includes major corporate events, sporting and tourism events, and trade exhibitions. As a senior events manager Sue has been involved with the management of all facets of event implementation and logistics for both large and small projects. Prior to DCA, Sue worked in a senior role for a privately owned small boutique trade event company, Groupe Grand Sud, to deliver three significant retail trade events. She has also spent 8 years working for global sports marketing company, International Management Group (IMG), on a number of events including the Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Sue initially started her career as Membership Coordinator, for the then peak tourism industry Victorian Tourism Operators Association (VTOA), now Tourism Alliance Victoria, a non-profit association advocating for and supporting the development of a professional and sustainable tourism industry. In this position Sue was responsible for the development of member services and the delivery of the association’s seminars and events programs.

Sue has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and two primary school age sons and works hard at striking the work life balance that DCA are so passionate about advocating throughout the Australian workplace in general.

Tracy Hocking, Communications Advisor

Tracy Hocking's key focus is to ensure that all of DCA’s communications strengthen its brand and position it as a leader on diversity matters in Australia.

Tracy supports a broad range of communication activities including writing and editing DCA’s regular publications to members and other interested stakeholders. She is striving to manage and improve the organisation's online and social media presence.

Prior to her appointment to DCA, Tracy spent three years at Cystic Fibrosis Victoria (CFV), managing various print and electronic communications


seeking to raise awareness and understanding of cystic fibrosis (CF), promoting the work of the organisation and supporting the fundraising activities of this small not-for-profit. During this time Tracy has steadily developed the social media strategy of CFV and helped build a highly engaged CF community. Tracy has also worked in a communications / public relations/ marketing capacity in other the not-for-profit sector, predominantly in health and medical research related areas.

Tracy holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from Monash University and is currently completing a Graduate Diploma of Communication at the Deakin University. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, two daughters and Pearl the pampered pussycat.

Jane O'Leary, Research Director

Jane O'Leary provides a range of research, advisory and consulting services to assist Australian employers drive business improvement through successful diversity management.

In 2008 she took on the role of Research Director to oversee DCA’s mission to work in partnership with members to generate ground breaking diversity research that enables Australian organisations to fully leverage the benefits of a diverse talent pool. Since then, Jane has worked in partnership with leading diversity thinkers and practitioners in business and academia to conceive of, design and implement innovative research projects, which enable Australian organisations to re-imagine and reconfigure the way they manage talent in today’s dynamic operating environments. She has established DCA's research function and worked with Australia's leading diversity employers to design and deliver diversity research which is ahead of the curve, speaks to the Australian context, drives business improvement and, importantly, leads public debate.

Her areas of specialisation include managerial diversity capability, diversity strategy development, implementation and evaluation, women in the workplace, and learning and development.

Jane has a PhD, undertaken through the University of Queensland Business School. Her thesis investigated how Australian managers can most effectively manage workforce diversity. She received an Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management conference award for the findings. Jane also has a Masters of Education degree, which focussed on the area of women in leadership. She was awarded an Academic Prize for Outstanding Achievement for her study. She has published papers on workforce diversity, women and leadership, qualitative research, and learning and development.

Prior to joining DCA, Jane worked in the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (EOWA) assisting employers on issues relating to diversity and inclusion. She held the senior policy position in EOWA, with responsibility for developing the policy framework for interpreting and administering the amended Affirmative Action (Equal Employment Opportunity for Women) Act 1986 and overseeing the development of accompanying educational guidelines for employers. On the basis of her work in this role she was awarded a Medal for Significant Contribution to the Australian Public Service in 2001.

Andrew Maxwell, Knowledge & Development Manager

Andrew Maxwell is the newest addition to the DCA team. As DCA’s Knowledge and Development Manager Andrew is passionate about bringing our research to life, providing members with engaging practical tools, lively discussion and lived experience of inclusive workplaces backed up by the latest research.

An award winning Facilitator and Coach, Andrew has worked across Australia, the United Kingdom and Asia for a range of companies including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Virgin, the British Broadcasting Corporation, KPMG and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Andrew believes organisations are more competitive, innovative and empowered when employees can bring their full selves to work.

As well as his work with DCA Andrew is a counsellor and psychotherapist and is completing his Masters in Social Work with a focus on mental health in the workplace.

Catherine Petterson, Operations & Communications Director

Catherine is Operations & Communications Director and is responsible for internal systems and external communications strategies to ensure DCA can deliver services effectively, retain members and attract and grow the membership base.

Catherine joined the organisation in 2004 and has been its Communications Director, planning and managing communications activities to provide a persuasive rationale for DCA membership to employers. In this role, her key responsibilities included writing and/or editing DCA’s regular publications on diversity such as Diversity Matters and Diversity Matters update as well as its Annual Report and all other member communications. She was responsible for DCA’s website and emarketing capability, and the introduction of a new customer relations management system, all of which have created more


effective ways of engaging and communicating with members. She also has oversight of DCA's event program.

Catherine acted in the role of CEO after the departure of Nareen Young in February 2014 and prior to the appointment of Lisa Annese in June 2014. Since then, in addition to communications, she has taken on the operations portfolio and works with the CEO to improve systems, policies and processes to ensure DCA is able to deliver services effectively and improve its performance.

She has a strong background in corporate communications and her expertise spans communicating to a broad range of audiences from business though to consumers, employees, investors, shareholders and the media. Prior to DCA, she worked at public relations firm Hinton & Associates where she provided strategic financial and corporate communications advice to listed companies. She also had a long stint at ANZ Bank in a variety of senior communications roles including in corporate affairs, internal communications, investor relations and major project communications. During her time at ANZ, Catherine was awarded a Silver Serif Award from the Society of Business Communicators for publication of ANZ’s internal magazine ‘Scope’.

Catherine has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Arts degree in Communications from Monash University. She lives in Melbourne with her husband and two children.


7 . O U R B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

DCA has a prestigious Board of Directors representing diversity leaders in Australian business and academia and with extensive experience in the fields of business, HR, law, management and accounting. Our directors are:

Lieutenant General (retired) David Morrison AO

David Morrison served as an officer in the Australian Army for over 36 years, retiring in May 2015. His final appointment was as Chief of Army, a position he held for four years. During his military career he saw operational service in Bougainville and East Timor and held a broad range of leadership and management positions. He was appointed as an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2010.

During his tenure as the Chief of Army, David took a strong public stand on matters of military culture especially those related to increasing gender and cultural diversity in the Army. He is committed to improving the opportunities for men and women to reach their potential through developing a greater appreciation of the benefits of more inclusive and diverse societies. Since 2013, he has been a member of the Male Champions of Change, a group of male leaders advocating for and acting to advance gender equality.

David was appointed Australian of the Year for 2016.

David is the Chair of the DCA Board.

Stephen Barrow, Executive General Manager, People, Culture and Capability, National Australia Bank

Steve joined the NAB in 2009, and has held a number of senior People, Change and Communications roles with the Bank.

His early career was a portfolio of academic and teaching positions, and running a consultancy practice for almost eight years based in the UK and Dubai.

In 1997 Steve was recruited by The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) to lead the regional performance, talent and organisational development agendas across Asia. He returned to London with HSBC in 2001, taking on a number of group-wide roles, most notably as Global Head of People Strategy, Talent and Resourcing. During this time Steve had a truly global role, working extensively in the US, Canada, South America and in Europe.

Born and raised in London, Steve was educated in the UK and holds a BSc. (Hons) in Management Science and a MSc. in Organisational Psychology.

Steve moved to Australia in 2007 to take on the position of Executive Director HR, with Telstra.

He is also an inaugural Director on the Board of the Victorian Pride Centre, an initiative of the State Government of Victoria to build and run Australia’s first LGBTI Pride Centre.

Steve lives in Melbourne with his husband, Lawrence, and three dogs.

Steve is on the Finance Committee and HR Committee of the DCA Board.

Alec Bashinsky, CHRO - National Partner, People & Performance, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

Alec Bashinsky has been with Deloitte Australia for 11 years as CHRO – National Partner, People & Performance reporting directly to the CEO. He is also The Asia Pacific Talent Leader reporting into the Regional APAC CEO. In his role Alec is responsible for 46,000 employees in the APAC Region (over 6,500 employees in Australia) with offices in more than 120 cities in over 20 countries and a team of over 200 people.

His mandate is to drive a performance culture and build leadership capability through establishing leadership development, talent identification, performance culture, diversity, employee engagement and shaping the workforce of the future as part of innovating the people strategy for Deloitte. His APAC Talent strategies include a strong focus on mobility throughout the region along with driving one ‘Asian Voice.’

He has significantly realigned the Deloitte HR offering including differentiated & segment talent, globally optimized talent practices and predictive and analytical data integration with the business functions. This coupled with a strong focus on risk and governance in the People strategies has dramatically realigned the HR offering.

He has initiated a number of successful People strategies for Deloitte such as the Inspiring Women strategy, D. Academy (for Graduates), Cultural Diversity, Design Thinking, Wisdom Workers, “Find Mind Like Minds’ employee referral program as well as building Talent pipelines, Succession planning for key leadership roles and defining Career Roadmaps for the


Firm. More recently his team have embraced Social media into their internal Talent process as well as external branding & recruitment apps i.e.: Deloitte Facebook and iPhone application, coupled with the introduction of Yammer as a firm wide communications tool.

In October, 2011 Alec was again awarded the Best HR Director of the Year in the prestigious Australian HR Awards and award he also won in 2006.

In March 2006, Alec was also awarded the “Human Resources Leader of the Year” at the National Human Capital Leadership awards.

Alec is a current Board Member for the Diversity Council Australia, a Board Member of the Deloitte Foundation and is also a business advisor and sits on the Board for Genos – a start-up Emotional Intelligence provider.

Alec’s previous role was as Senior Director Human Resources – Japan & Asia Pacific for PeopleSoft Inc. Originally recruited into the role to manage the smooth acquisition of the JD Edwards Organisation which made PeopleSoft the second largest software solutions provider in the world.

Prior to this, Alec was the Group Manager - Human Resources for Cisco Systems for Australia /New Zealand for 3.5 years and during his time at Cisco, Alec has also achieved unique back to back Hewitt Best Employer status in 2002 and 2003 along with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to HR’ award again at the Australian HR Awards.

Prior to this Alec was the Asia Pacific HR Manager for 3Com and amongst his other achievements saw him tackle unique challenge of being the HR Director for the market entry of Toys R Us into Australia.

Alec is on the HR committee and IT Committee of the DCA Board.

Tim Fawcett, Director Corporate and Government Affairs, Cisco Systems Australia and New Zealand

Tim Fawcett is the Director of Corporate and Government Affairs for Cisco Systems Australia and New Zealand and is Chairman of Cisco’s ANZ Social Innovation and Corporate Social Responsibility Committee.

A part of Cisco’s Senior Leadership Team, Tim developed and implements Cisco’s three-year business transformation strategy with a focus on human capital development, healthy communities and economic innovation.

Tim also leads Cisco’s executive stakeholder engagement on productivity, innovation, workforce participation, the internet economy, public administration, infrastructure, sustainability and the environment.

In addition, Tim is the co-chair of Cisco’s Working @ Cisco initiative which is tasked with helping Cisco to become an employer of choice through a focus

on diversity, inclusion and workplace flexibility, which Tim views as a cornerstone of the sustainability of modern businesses.

Tim is a Director of LaunchVic, the Make a Difference (MAD) Foundation, an Advisory Board Member of the Melbourne Networked Society Institute at University of Melbourne. He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is an Ambassador for the Snowdome Foundation.

He holds a Masters in Public Policy from the ANU, and degrees from LaTrobe University and the University of California.

Tim Chairs the IT Committee of the DCA Board.

Nick Fernando, General Manager, Retail Pricing & Distribution Analytics

Nick is an accomplished Senior Executive with 14 years of banking experience. Nick also has cross sector experience across engineering, telecoms, consulting and financial services.

Nick is currently the General Manager of Pricing & Distribution Analytics at the CBA. Before that, Nick was Head of Home Lending Products and has also worked in Group Strategy. Prior to joining the Bank, Nick was a management consultant at Bain & Company and has also worked as a Senior Engineer designing major buildings and tunnels in different countries.

Nick is also currently the Chair of Commonwealth Bank’s cultural diversity network and actively champions cultural diversity with the CEO and the Executive team. He brings to the table an understanding of contemporary diversity and inclusion issues and has a unique perspective as a first generation Asian migrant in a senior corporate role.

Nick holds a Doctorate (PhD) in Engineering and an MBA.

Nick is Chair of the Finance Committee of the DCA Board.

Darren Fittler, Partner, Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers

Darren Fittler joined Gilbert + Tobin in June 2004 and is the lead partner in the firm’s Third Sector Advisory Group.

Darren specialises in the provision of legal assistance to charities and not-for-profit organisations including large and small charities, overseas aid agencies, community organisations, environmental and cultural organisations, corporate foundations, religious organisations and congregations, industry associations and private families and individuals.


Darren’s expertise in laws specific to charities and not-for-profit organisations and his generalist corporate and commercial law experience enables him to provide innovative, holistic, strategic and targeted legal advice and practical guidance.

Darren was the recipient of the 2014 Human Rights Commission Law Award in recognition of his long term commitment to assisting not-for-profit and charitable organisations. Darren is the author of two chapters in the Thomson Reuters NFP Best Practice Manual and the chapters on not-for-profit organisations and NSW incorporated associations in the NSW Lawyers Practice Manual. He sits on the NSW Attorney General’s Disability Advisory Council and also attended meetings at the United Nations in New York, helping in the development of an international convention on the rights of people with disability.

Darren is Company Secretary of the DCA Board.

Chris Lamb, Global Head of Organisational Development & Chief Diversity Officer at Lendlease

Chris Lamb is Global Head of Organisational Development at Lendlease. He has been with Lendlease for more than nine years and is responsible for Learning & Development, Talent Management, Strategic Resourcing and Diversity & Inclusion. In 2009 Chris established Lendlease's Australian Diversity Council and in 2012 Lend Lease’s first Global Diversity Council with a goal to lead the Property & Construction industries in diversity practice. Lendlease’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy has a particular focus on the areas of gender equity, flexibility, reconciliation and LGBTI. In 2009, Lendlease became foundation members of Pride in Diversity with Chris joining the PiD Advisory Board and chairing their annual conference from 2011-2013. Chris has been a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) for over 15 years. In 2009, he became a Fellow (FAHRI) and member of the AHRI National President's Forum and in 2015 joined AHRI’s Inclusion & Diversity Reference Panel. Also in 2015 Chris received AHRI’s Diversity Champion Award.

Prior to Lendlease, he spent seven years working for American Express, the last three of which were in London with responsibility for the UK, Ireland & Eastern Europe. During his time in the UK he established American Express' first Diversity Council outside the US as well as the first Employee Network groups for LGB and Women in the Workplace. He also worked closely with Stonewall UK, giving American Express the opportunity to participate in the Workplace Equality Index for the first time. Chris spent the first 10 years of

his career at Westpac, initially in Retail Banking and then in senior Human Resources and Corporate roles.

He is a graduate of Cornell University's Centre for Advanced Human Resources Studies (CAHRS), INSEAD (Fontainebleau) and he completed postgraduate studies in Business at UTS (Sydney) in 1999. Chris is also a graduate of the Australia Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Chris is a frequent keynote speaker and panellist on diversity and inclusion topics.

Chris is Chair of the HR Committee of the DCA Board.

Kate McCormack, Group Executive Director People, Learning & Culture, Mercy Health

Kate has over 25 years’ experience in Human Resources across retail, logistics and healthcare. She holds a Masters of Business in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management from RMIT University/Grenoble Ecole de Management in France and has also studied at both the London Business School and Harvard University.

Kate provides strategic advice to the Group Chief Executive Officer as well as the Board and wider Executive team. Kate is responsible for the development and implementation of the overall Group Human Resources Strategy across Mercy Health (7500+ employees). Her work involves driving initiatives such as Recruitment and Retention, Diversity, Learning and Organisational Development across the business to engage employees and connect to Mercy’s Mission, Vision, Values and Strategic Direction.

Recent career achievements include:

Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation - Workplace Gender Equality Agency (or equivalent) 2008 – to current

Winner Best Use of Technology for Recruiting Award - 7th Asia Best Employer Brand Awards 2016

Winner Employer of Choice - The Australian Business Awards 2015

Finalist Best Workplace Flexibility Program -Australian HR Awards 2015

Finalist Employer of Choice (Public Sector & Not for Profit) - Australian HR Awards 2015

Finalist Employer of Choice (Greater than 1,000 Employees) - Australian HR Awards 2015

Finalist Best Use of Technology - Australian HR Awards 2015.


Kate has two daughters, Madeleine and Isobel, with husband Russell. She enjoys travelling and spending time with family, friends and dogs Tasha and Ralphie.

Kate is on the HR Committee & IT Committee of the DCA board.

Sam Mostyn

Sam Mostyn is a Non-Executive Director and sustainability adviser and speaker. She is the Chair of Citigroup and serves on the boards of Virgin Australia, Transurban, Mirvac and Cover-More Group. Sam has recently been appointed to the newly created Global Commission on Business and Sustainable Development.

Before this, Sam was Group Executive, Culture & Reputation at Insurance Australia Group. Reporting to CEO Michael Hawker, she was responsible for the Human Resources, Corporate & Government Affairs, Internal Communications and Corporate Sustainability functions and served in this role for over six years.

In her time at IAG, Sam oversaw the development of a corporate, social and environmental sustainability plan for the company with particular focus on integrating the company's internal cultural issues and business planning with customer, corporate, community and environmental activities. In that time, IAG participated in the formation of the Australian Business in the Community Network, the launch of the Australian Business Roundtable on Climate Change, and the creation of the Business for Millennium Development board. The company also committed itself to carbon neutrality, and to creating a safe, diverse and flexible workforce.

Prior to joining IAG, Sam held senior executive positions with Optus Communications in Sydney and Cable & Wireless Plc in London, and between 1994 and 1996 she was a policy advisor to two Federal Communications Ministers before joining the office of the Prime Minister Paul Keating as a senior communications policy advisor.

In 2005, Sam was appointed as a Commissioner with the Australian Football League.

Sam's other board and advisory roles continue to encompass a broad range of interests. She previously served as President of the Australian Museum and a board member of Reconciliation Australia. She is Chair of Carriageworks and currently serves on the board of the Australia Council for the Arts. Sam is President of the Australian Council for International Development, and a member of the NSW Climate Change Council. She serves on the advisory board of ClimateWorks Australia and the Climate

Council. Sam served a term as a Commissioner with the Federal Mental Health Commission, and was an inaugural member of the National Sustainability Council.

Sam is a member of Chief Executive Women, and served on the Review of Treatment of Women in the Defence Force led by the then Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick.

Sam is DCA's Vice-Chair of the DCA Board.

Abbie Wright, Diversity & Inclusion Manager, ANZ and Asia, Aurecon

Abbie Wright is Aurecon's Diversity and Inclusion Manager. Abbie is a long-standing employee and valued advisor on diversity and inclusion matters. With a background in human capital, cultural change and leadership development, Abbie's approach to diversity and inclusion is to "bring others on the journey" by influencing a work environment where everyone can feel safe, valued and accepted regardless of difference. Abbie leads and delivers a diversity portfolio that supports Aurecon's business strategy and respects client and staff expectations, including Employer of Choice targets. Abbie is a member of the Aurecon Australia and New Zealand leadership team and a qualified executive coach.

Abbie was integral to Aurecon’s Christchurch earthquake response team as Family Liaison Officer and is the 2014 Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) Diversity Champion award recipient. In 2015 Abbie was part of the leadership team that led Aurecon’s AHRI award winning mental health programme, Mind Matters, as well as positioned Aurecon as a runner up for the AHRI gender equality award.

Abbie has influenced cultural change in Aurecon that has seen the implementation of Aurecon’s Reconciliation Action and Indigenous Procurement Plans, as well as Aurecon Pride for LGBTI inclusion – placing Aurecon in the top 30 for inclusive organisations as measured by Pride in Diversity’s annual index. With significant support from the leadership team, Abbie introduced all positions flex into Aurecon in 2016 under the Yes Flex initiative, and delivers Ascend, Aurecon’s leadership advancement programme for high potential women.

Abbie is driving a focus on inclusive leadership within Aurecon, including supporting the integration of attributes that will enable leaders to lead inclusively through their behaviours and language.

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