2005 Winners
2005 Diversity@work Awards winners and champions
Employment and Inclusion of People with a Disability
Under 100 employees
Carpatsea
Last year the company won in this category for its proactive approach to hiring people with disabilities to work in Subway fast food franchises along NSW's Central Coast. 23 per cent of Carpatsea's workforce have a disability of one form or another and stores are often staffed entirely by people with disabilities.
101-1000 employees
Moran Furniture
Another winner from 2004, Moran Furniture has been employing people with disabilities for over 28 years and continues to recruit new jobseekers with disabilities with the assistance of Dandenong Valley Job Support.
Over 1000 employees
Department of Defence
The Disability Management Strategy (DMS) is an initiative to drive culture change within Defence. The DMS identified key issues that needed to be addressed in order to support people with disabilities including provision of assistive technologies, equal access to career progression, and better management of people with disabilities.
Employment and Inclusion of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Australians
Under 100 employees
Launceston Hospital
The Food Services Department of the Launceston General Hospital in Northern Tasmania have taken on Several African refugees as trainees through a Work Placement Program. They have become valued team members, gaining skills, experience and in some cases employment, and helping other staff gain a greater understanding of other cultures and ways of life.
Over 1000 employees
ANZ Banking Group
This award focuses on the Payments section of ANZ which each year holds a Culture Week to acknowledge its diverse workforce and customers. There are over 700 employees in the section, who speak over 46 languages and come from a similar number of countries and cultures across the globe.
Employment and Inclusion of Indigenous Australians
Under 100 employees
AFL SportsReady
A recent initiative of this organisation has been to produce a DVD designed to encourage private companies to employ indigenous trainees. They also practise what they preach - 17% of AFL SportsReady employees are Indigenous.
101-1000 employees
BoysTown Employment and Training
BoysTown assists highly disadvantaged youth, especially Indigenous young people, to achieve long term and sustainable employment. Currently, 41 of the 106 employees working for the Queensland-based organisation are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent.
Over 1000 employees
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
In order to reflect the diversity of Australian society, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has set a target of boosting Indigenous employment from the current figure of 1.3% to at least 2% of the Corporation's workforce. Indigenous Indigenous Employment Co-ordinator Paul Brant has assisted the ABC in implementing many strategies to promote the employment, development and retention of Indigenous people in the ABC.
Employment and Inclusion of Mature Age Workers
101-1000 employees
Benetas
Benetas, meaning "a good age of life" is the new Brand name for Anglican Aged Care Services Group. This employer of choice for mature age workers takes a flexible approach to managing their workforce and emphasises training education for all employees. Their efforts have paid off - 62% of Benetas staff are aged over 40 and 34% are aged over 50. Of Benetas's 500 volunteers, 70% are over 60.
Diversity Champions
Janelle Whitehead, CEO, Murdi Paaki Regional Enterprise Corporation Ltd
In August 2003, Janelle initiated a not-for-profit public company to help deliver key services and create opportunities in indigenous communities in western NSW. She has implemented a series of projects designed to instil pride in the community.
Carole Khan, Office Manager, Pumpa Engineering, Swan Hill
Carole has been an active advocate in her organisation for the Swan Hill-Horn of Africa Community Building Partnership, which aims to assist migrants from the Horn of Africa in the City of Maribyrnong, 70% of whom are currently unemployed, in relocating to the opportunity-rich communities of the Murray Mallee.