Diversity@Work Awards 2009
Diversity@Work wishes to congratulate all the winners and nominees announced at 2009 Diversity@Work Awards Gala Dinner.
To view photos from the 2009 Diversity@Work Awards Gala Dinner click here.
If you have queries regarding photos please contact Jodie North, RDI Marketing, 03 9862 4222, jnorth@rdimarketing.com.au .
- Individual Award
- Special Commendation Award
- Small To Medium Organisation Champion Award
- Large Organisation Champion Award
- The Employment and Inclusion of People with a Disability
- The Employment and Inclusion of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Australians
- The Employment and Inclusion of Mature Age Workers
- The Employment and Inclusion of Indigenous Australians
- The Employment and Inclusion of Women in Leadership
- The Employment and Inclusion of Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Intersex
- Today's Youth – The Future of Tomorrow
- Work/Life Balance
2009 Diversity@Work Awards
Diversity and Inclusion Champion Winners
Individual Award
Joint Winners
Individual: Jen Stuart
Company: Jen's Lawn Mowing
State: Nerang, Queensland
Summary: Jen Stuart is the owner of a lawn mowing service on the Gold Coast Called Jen's Lawn Mowing. Her business does maintenance work involving lawn mowing, edging, rubbish removal, tree lopping, landscaping etc on private properties and housing complexes throughout the Gold Coast.
Jen manages the day to day activities in her business and works alongside her workers (our clients). Since 2003 Jen has worked in partnership with Gold Coast Employment Support Service (part of the Disability Employment Network) to offer opportunities of employment to people with a disability.
As an active, past, current and ongoing employer of people with a disability Jen has at all times acted as an impeccable role model for our clients. She has a very strong work ethic and high professional and personal standards. Jen always takes into consideration the client's disability, their personal situation and has always treated each and every client an individual with individual needs.
Jen is accepting of clients with ANY disability type and in the past and present has employed clients with Psychiatric Disability, Physical Disability, Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, ADHD and ADD, Acquired Brain Injury, Hearing Impaired and Intellectual Disabilities.
Jen currently employs 5 of our clients, has previously employed 17 clients over a period of 6 years and has provided work trials for 27 of our clients.
Jen treats each and every client as an individual with individual needs. Each client is treated with respect and their privacy protected. In offering employment to these clients she has helped raise their self esteem, their financial status, their confidence and their own self worth as a contributing member of society. She makes each and every client she employs feel that they are a valued member of her team.
Individual: Alan Robson
Company: The University of Western Australia
State: Crawley, Western Australia
Summary: Professor Alan Robson, Vice-Chancellor, University of Western Australia
Alan Robson demonstrates a strong personal commitment to equity and social justice. The genuineness of his conviction is striking and informs his consistent championing of the many, significant and transformational changes that have occurred within the University of Western Australia's workplace and campus over the time of his leadership.
Alan has shown consistent and determined leadership, through action and words, to imbue the culture of this large, diverse and complex organisation with a commitment to equity and inclusion. His own commitment to these principles is well known within the University and across the nation.
As a Leader with a vision and passion for equity in its broadest sense, Alan is extremely well positioned to transform UWA. What distinguishes him as a Champion however is the extent to which he tirelessly invests himself in this huge endeavour. It requires real conviction and some courage to take 'first steps' and Alan has taken many on the University's journey towards equity and inclusion.
As a leader and champion Alan has transformed a fine but traditional institution, Anglo, masculine, Christian, able-bodied and heterosexual in its orientation, into an organisation fully recognising why the focus on equity and inclusion is a fundamental, rather than tangential strategy in the achievement of international excellence.
Special Commendation Award
Individual: Hannah Kinross
Company: Migrant Information Centre (Eastern Melbourne)
State: Box Hill, Victoria
Summary: Hannah first volunteered at the MIC in 2007 and immediately threw herself into helping refugees participate in their new community. Hannah's work demonstrated passion and commitment for working with refugee/migrant communities.
Hannah joined the MIC's staff in 2008 and started initiating and delivering programs connecting refugee/migrant communities to their local community and empowering individuals with knowledge/skills to participate meaningfully in their new neighbourhood. The programs include activities promoting healthy lifestyles e.g. sports for women and children, cooking classes and translated information. Hannah links individuals and communities to local services and programs. She works with local soccer and volleyball clubs to provide opportunities for young refugees to participate in sports, and links individuals to local services and community groups.
Hannah's work is underpinned by her personal interest in every individual she works with cultural barriers are dissolved by her unique ability to engage with all individuals regardless of age, cultural or religious backgrounds. Everyone responds positively to Hannah often inviting her to special events in their communities including weddings, graduations and cultural celebrations.
Hannah's work is characterised by her willingness and ability to work beyond the normal constraints of a job to achieve the best possible outcomes for refugee and migrant communities.
Sadly, Hannah was only 22 years when she was tragically killed in a plane crash in Papua New Guinea near the Kokoda Track on 11 August 2009.
Small To Medium Organisation Champion Award
Company: Café BEST - BEST Community Development
State: Victoria
Summary: BEST Community Development is a successful not-for-profit community based organisation that delivers services to the community in employment, training, disability, youth and a range of community and business areas.
Our mission of 'enhancing individuals and enriching the community' is achieved through commitment to
continuous improvement, a strong human and physical infrastructure, and effective commitment in providing services to the community in general and disadvantaged sectors in particular.
Café BEST is a gourmet café and catering business unit of BEST Community Development. It has been established as a social enterprise to provide quality training (accredited and non-accredited), employment and transition opportunities for people with a disability.
The objective of Café BEST is to integrate employees with a disability into open employment options following successful completion of their training and development. This 'transition model' thereby creates further opportunities for additional disadvantaged community members to enter the Café BEST program.
The focus is on giving employees the confidence, skills and training to be valued contributors to the work force.
Large Organisation Champion Award
Joint Winners
Company: Mercy Health
State: Victoria
Summary: Mercy Health is a leading healthcare provider for women specialising in obstetrics, gynaecology, midwifery, neonatology, paediatrics, palliative care, mental health, early parenting and aged care services. We employ over 4,200 people and over 450,000 people access our services every year. At Mercy Health our vision is to build an enduring capacity and passion to serve those with special needs. We can only achieve this through the skills, talents, commitment and good will of our people. This is reflected in our values: Compassion, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship and Teamwork. Originally founded in Dublin in 1831 by a visionary, Catherine McAuley, the mission of the Mercy Health Sisters is to educate and care for the sick, the poor and the vulnerable. This is continued today by our people. An integral part of our commitment to live the mission and vision of the Mercy Sisters is ensuring a values driven workplace culture is provided to our people. For Mercy Health, diversity is about accepting and embracing the individual differences that make each of us unique human beings. Mercy Health provides an inclusive organisational culture where individual differences are respected. As part of Mercy Health's commitment to valuing diversity, a range of policies, practices and programs have been introduced to all of our people, to assist them to integrate and balance their careers with the demands of life.
Company: Australia Post
State: National
Summary: Australia Post is proud of the diversity of its workforce. We are 35,509 men and women of more than 135 nationalities. Australia Post was one of the first organisations in Australia to establish a dedicated strategy to deal with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and diversity issues. In 1977, Australia Post launched its first EEO strategy and in 1988, it's first Indigenous Employment Strategy. A broader diversity framework (beyond the designated EEO groups) was introduced in Australia Post in 1998. Since 1988, there have been exceptional increases in both workforce representation, and in executive and management representation for all the EEO groups. At Australia Post, selection on the basis of merit is the key and overriding principle for the achievement of EEO targets. At no stage has Australia Post had identified positions (positions for which only a member of the designated groups can apply) or quotas. Subsequent strategies continue to build upon our commitment to managing employees as individuals, acknowledging our people as our success and maximising their difference, talent and skills to provide Australia Post with a competitive advantage and to contribute to making Australia Post an employer of choice.
2009 Diversity@Work Awards
The Employment & Inclusion Award Winners
The Employment and Inclusion of People with a Disability
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Scan Conversion Services
State: South Australia
Summary: Scan Conversion Services (SCS) is a scanning bureau operating throughout Australia and New Zealand and has been delivering highly effective document and drawing management solutions for ten years.
SCS partnered with CRS Australia in April 2008 to offer on-the-job training and employment opportunities for people with a disability to develop their skills and experience and build confidence to obtain paid employment.
Since April 2008 and by virtue of the partnership with CRS Australia, 35 people with varying types of disabilities have commenced training and employment with SCS. All 35 job seekers have been employed by SCS in a casual, part-time or full-time capacity in permanent or contract positions. Of these 35 job seekers, 15 are still employed by SCS. The remaining 20 have moved onto other employment opportunities armed with the experience they gained from SCS.
SCS's ongoing commitment to giving people with a disability a job opportunity has been life changing for many. Job seekers who may not have the required work experience or confidence to apply for a job are given a safe and encouraging environment to learn and build their confidence to become valuable employees. Having a job with SCS has given many job seekers independence, increased confidence and satisfaction, financial benefit and opportunities to learn.
In addition to providing employment opportunities for people with a disability, Managing Director, Richard Bates promotes the benefits of employing people with a disability with his SCS customers with whom he has developed strong partnerships. As a result, he continues to make an outstanding commitment to providing training and employment opportunities to people with a disability.
Runner Up: Brunswick Industries Association
Category: Large Organisation
Company: Department of Transport
State: Victoria
Summary: The Department of Transport (DOT) actively promotes the inclusion of people with a disability because a diverse and inclusive workforce is an important contributor to healthy organisational culture and strong productivity. Under the banner of the 'DOT Diversity & Inclusion Strategy' and supported by the 'DOT Disability Action Plan (DAP) 2009-2012', DOT has a range of initiatives which aim to create an inclusive work environment and support and promote our performance objectives.
One of our key initiatives is the involvement in the Career Start program. The purpose of this program is to support Victorian graduates with a disability into employment within the public and community sector. The program provides the individual with valuable work experience and training, builds their confidence as a valued team member by contributing to a workplace, and creates pathways to meaningful ongoing employment, which they may not have received otherwise.
DOT ensures that we have the support mechanisms for all DOT people including people with a disability, their managers and their colleagues.
Our ultimate aim is to provide safe, meaningful and sustainable employment pathways for people with a disability, which is supported by a diverse and inclusive work environment.
The Employment and Inclusion of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Australians
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: City of Whittlesea
State: Victoria
Summary: The Work Experience Program is an action identified in the Multicultural Plan 2007 – 2011 under the theme: Council Internal Capacity Building. The Council has made a commitment to “Develop organisational capacity to enable cultural responsiveness across Council”.Two significant actions as part of this theme include: 1. Encourage the employment of bi-lingual workers within the Council that are reflective of the community; 2. Develop a work experience program that enables refugees and skilled migrants to gain work experience in a local government setting.
Over two years to date the program has assisted 12 participants,(with a commitment of 5 per year) Of the 12 participants, 6 are of refugee background (also studying), 4 skilled migrants, 1 student and 1 Australian Citizen.Of the 12 participants, six have achieved ongoing employment as a result, 4 with the Council and two with external agencies.
Category: Large Organisation
Company: Brisbane City Council
State: Queensland
Summary: Brisbane City Council works with government, non-government organisations and Brisbane residents to improve the city's quality of life and work towards an inclusive city. Employment is one of Council's priorities and it plays an essential role in the settlement of migrants and refugees. The Multicultural Employment Infrastructure Program (MEIP) assists work-ready refugees and migrants into appropriate employment throughout Brisbane.
MEIP is unique; it does not duplicate but rather builds on the services provided by other multicultural support agencies. MEIP's intensive service picks up where other services leave off ‚tailoring resumes and job applications to the specifics of each role applied for. In particular MEIP aims to assist qualified migrants and refugees to find meaningful employment within their field of profession, rather than promoting unskilled or non-professional positions.
MEIP also supports employers to achieve workforce diversity through pre and post placement support for their employees and has developed a printed booklet to assist employers to provide a “Soft Landing” for migrants and refugees into the existing Australian workforce.
MEIP has proven very successful. Of the 140 participants on the program, at least 60 have gained paid employment, and a further 24 are in work experience or formal study since December 2008.
The Employment and Inclusion of Mature Age Workers
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Port Stephens Councils
State: New South Wales
Summary: Port Stephens Council employs around 550 staff and attracting and retaining them is a major priority. To do this we must recruit the right staff in the right numbers. We must also ensure that our organisation is a great place to work and that we truly are an employer of choice.
Council is dedicated to meeting the present and future needs of its community in a cost effective, accountable and collaborative way. As an organisation, we are committed to improving the way we go about our business. This will strengthen our ability to deliver better value to our community. We are doing this by pursuing the philosophy within the Australian Business Excellence Framework. Port Stephens Council has great people working for it, and we strongly believe that our people come to work to do the best job they can.
In 2008 Council introduced an innovative recruitment program specifically aimed at retirees. The specific targeting of the 'young retired' market through our Grey Nomad Campaign helped us fill gaps in our workforce in positions where skills are at a shortage.This resulted in us finding over 120 well qualified, vibrant retirees who are looking for semi-permanent, contract and casual work in our area.They bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience that we can harness to mentor younger staff and fill temporary gaps and overflow situations, whilst providing worthwhile employment in our community. We have now extended this database to the broader business community of Port Stephens.
Runner Up: Astro Alloys (Aust) Pty Ltd
The Employment and Inclusion of Indigenous Australians
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Traditional Credit Union
State: Northern Territory
Summary: Traditional Credit Union (TCU) was developed by a group of Aboriginal Elders to provide financial services to residents of remote Indigenous Communities in the Northern Territory who were disadvantaged by a lack of banking and other financial services.
TCU was incorporated as a credit union on the 5th December 1994 and opened its first branch in Milingimbi (500km east of Darwin) in early 1995.TCU now employs more than 65 staff throughout its 13 Arnhemland branches and 85% of those staff are aboriginal.
Diversity and inclusion strategies are weaved into the very fibre of the organization as it has successfully embraced two governance systems ‚ Australian banking regulations and Yolngu culture.
TCU‚ Mission is to provide culturally appropriate, quality financial services to the Indigenous community and organisations in remote Australia.
Local people are employed who speak the language of their community to work in the branches.TCU believes it is not enough to only provide the banking service to the community and has a much broader agenda to provide employment and education to members in the communities it services.
Runner Up: Nova Employment [Café 64]
Category: Large Organisation
Company: Sinclair Knight Merz
State: National
Summary: In August 2009, global engineering, sciences and project delivery firm, Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) published a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), registered with Reconciliation Australia.
The launch of SKM‚ RAP coincides with the UN‚ International Day of the World‚ Indigenous People (IDWIP). IDWIP is observed each year on 9 August to strengthen international cooperation and close the gap for justice, equal rights and development for indigenous peoples. SKM submits its RAP as the basis of the Company‚ 2009 Diversity@Work application in the Indigenous/Large Employer Division.
In launching the RAP, SKM Chief Executive, Paul Dougas said the plan is the logical next step for the firm after many years of working in and with Indigenous communities. The plan outlines SKM‚ Reconciliation journey to date and details how the firm intends to further embed reconciliation within its culture.
Runner Up: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Employment and Inclusion of Women in Leadership
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Microsoft Australia
State: National
Summary: For Microsoft Australia, Women in Leadership extends beyond what we do within the organisation.We actively work to raise the profile of the importance of women building and demonstrating leadership skills and capabilities within the broader community, our case study within this submission regarding the Fairfield Immigrant Women Centre tells this story. Within our organisation, we have relentless focus on building and maintaining a diverse talent pool that represents our customers, partners and the broader market.The video footage included as part of this submission showcases some of our great female talent. The backdrop of the overall IT market and lack of females within it sets the challenge of bridging the gender gap which we are determined to succeed in!
Runner Up: Advanced Personnel Management [APM]
Category: Large Organisation
Company: Mallesons Stephen Jaques
State: New South Wales
Summary: Mallesons Stephen Jaques is a commercial law firm advising major corporations and financial institutions in Australia and Asia. We are resourced by approximately 2000 partners and staff, of which over 1000 are legal staff. We have offices located in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Perth, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and London.
Our business strategy is built on the service value profit chain which has talent management and retention of staff as a key enabler to delivering great client service and achieving business results.As a top professional services firm, the development, advancement and retention of women is viewed as a business critical issue.As a result we have focused on fostering a culture that values innovative work practices and promotes diversity.
In 2006, the Chief Executive Partner made EEO and Gender one of his top five people priorities for the next three years.The implementation of the Gender Strategy across the firm is championed by Kate Rimer, the Executive Director, People and Development and the firm's EEO Partner and former Chairman of the Board, Robyn Chalmers.In the same year, the role of EEO & Flexibility Manager was created reporting directly to the Executive Director, People and Development. This is a firmwide role.
Runner Up: Sydney Water
The Employment and Inclusion of Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Intersex
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Port Phillip City Council
State: Victoria
Summary: A group at the Port Phillip City Council have over a number of years, been successfully running a GLBTI initiative to support and celebrate diversity within the organisation.The GLBTI Group is a small working committee of staff that seeks to run events and provide advice and support to the organization.It aims to foster a supportive work environment and to minimize any instances of homophobia by creating a positive social presence within the Council.The Group has been established for approximately five years and is run on an informal basis, meeting several times through the year to establish GLBTI social events, Pride March participation or to consult on issues such as training. The GLBTI Group is run by staff for staff.The Group are currently working with LGPro, a Victorian Local Government professional development body, to establish an event that will provide a networking opportunity across all Victorian Councils in an aim to support and recognise the contribution by many Victorian GLBTI Council staff members.
Category: Large Organisation
Company: The University of Western Australia
State: Western Australia
Summary: People work best in a setting marked by mutual respect, personal dignity and support. When people find themselves in an environment which is not inclusive, where some aspect of their identity must be left in the car park for them to thrive, or even survive, there are likely to be negative personal and organisational consequences. This philosophy led the University of Western Australia to broaden its workplace equity agenda to include a focus on sexual and gender diversity.
The Ally Initiative is a culture change strategy that predates the introduction of sexual orientation and gender identity legislation in W.A.The wide publicity and emulation of this strategy and the groundswell of support from across the campus strengthens the belief that there are shared values within this University (and beyond), and that our campus community is proud of their institution 'taking a stand' on issues they care about.
Unlike many diversity programs that commence in a 'blaze of glory' then disappear within a mainstreaming narrative, the Ally Initiative has stayed the course achieving steady gains and transformations since its inception. Viewed longitudinally, the initiative has recruited a 'critical mass' of Allies in the staffing body and more than 6000 students have increased their sensitivity towards GLBTI issues from Ally having been incorporated into their university experience.
Runner Up: Family Access Network
Today's Youth – The Future of Tomorrow
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Centre for Multicultural Youth
State: Victoria
Summary: The Voices of Young Australians: Uniting for Social Cohesion program works with young people from diverse (refugee, migrant and Australian born) backgrounds on anti-discrimination youth-led initiatives in their schools and community.This program is coordinated by the Centre for Multicultural Youth, with funding from the Scanlon Foundation and auspiced by the Australian Multicultural Foundation. Currently in its third year of delivery, the program is currently being delivered in partnership with Melton Shire Council Youth Services.
To date, the program has engaged over 50 multicultural young leaders from the Cities of Hume, Whittlesea and the Shire of Melton, who have developed and delivered nine youth-led initiatives that aim to promote respect and understanding of difference and diversity. These youth-led initiatives include; two Youth Dialogue Forums addressing Racism and Discrimination; a multicultural fashion show; a multicultural youth camp; The Amazin' Race Caroline Springs; an Anti-Discrimination School Charter; a multicultural youth radio show; a Youth Multifaith Forum; and an anti-discrimination comedy event.
Youth-led initiatives provided the young leaders with the opportunity to develop leadership skills and make a contribution to addressing issues of racism and discrimination within their community.
Runner Up: AIESEC Australia
Category: Large Organisation
Company: UCMS Pty Ltd
State: Victoria
Summary: UCMS is an organisation with a strong background in recruiting, developing and supporting young people to become future leaders. Young people form the backbone of our organisation and we strive to reflect this focus through the way in which we design and implement our recruitment, leadership and development initiatives.
We have a number of strategies designed specifically for young people throughout the employment cycle (recruitment, training, workplace and career), aimed at supporting young people as they establish their place within our organisation and the broader community.We believe that our leadership development programs outlined within this submission provide young people with the confidence and skills to lead our business and our community into the future.
Runner Up: Sydney Water
Work/Life Balance
Category: Small to Medium Organisation
Company: Microsoft Australia
State: National
Summary: Work/Life balance for many organisations assumes a set of programs and processes that outline what employees have available to them and how they might set up a work/life balance arrangement that suits them.In preparing this nomination, work/life balance at Microsoft Australia just 'IS', we just 'ARE' and people just 'DO'. Over twelve months later, our 'what works for you can work for us too' campaign, has seenwork/life balance move beyond the formal process and policies to just‚' happening' in whatever way works for each and every individual employee.We set about creating a mind-set and cultural environment that 'work is about what you do, not a place you go' and this has permeated throughout the entire organisation.We have highlighted some great examples of this in both the written and video components of our submission ‚'we hope you enjoy hearing about all the great stories as much as we did!'
Category: Large Organisation
Company: PepsiCo Australia & New Zealand
State: National
Summary: PepsiCo is a fast-paced, results-driven, leading multinational. Performance matters in our company, and our employees are renowned for being hard-working and committed. This environment presents a challenge: how to provide the kind of flexibility and work/life effectiveness that will enable us to attract and retain talented employees, without losing the performance-driven culture and commitment to results that has made our company successful year after year.
In 2008, we implemented a Work Life Quality program, which enabled us to successfully meet that challenge. We used our strengths – excellence in execution, aligning HR strategy with business
strategy and linking key performance indicators to managers' pay and performance evaluations – to ensure work life quality became a way of life at PepsiCo. The results have been outstanding: a 50% reduction in voluntary employee turnover, more engaged employees and the normalisation of manager/employee discussions about workplace flexibility. Our 2008 results were some of our best ever in terms of financial success, which has validated the belief that flexibility is a talent issue and a business issue, and that providing greater flexibility will increase our attractiveness as an employer of choice, increase employee engagement and retention, and ultimately improve our business performance.