2006 Winners
The winners and sponsors of the 2006 Diversity Awards
Employers and individuals from across Australia have been recognised for their outstanding commitment to championing diversity within their workplace at the annual Diversity@work Awards Gala Dinner.
Diversity@work chief executive Stuart King commented on the night that "Australian workplaces are making great strides in implementing practical diversity initiatives - the judges were extremely impressed with the calibre of entries this year and the commitment by companies of varying sizes to embracing a more diverse workforce."
- Employment and Inclusion of People with a Disability
- Employment and Inclusion: Work / Life Balance
- Employment and Inclusion of CALD Australians
- Employment and Inclusion of Indigenous Australians
- Employment and Inclusion of Mature Age Workers
- Victorian Grey Matters Employer Award
- Diversity Champion Award
Employment and Inclusion of People with a Disability
Small (Up to 100 employees)
St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox College
St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox College has provided sustainable part-time and full-time positions for forty people with disabilities over the last seven years. Key to their ongoing success is their strong relationship with CRS, which screens and puts forward suitable candidates as well as assisting with training and support. Other factors contributing to the College's success include a focus on well-resourced and individually tailored induction and ongoing training, coaching and support; training for employees to raise awareness; and flexible working arrangements.
Above, Kerren Thorson of DEWR (left) presents Susan Pitsas and Trevor Nye of St. Mary's Coptic Orthodox College with their Award.
Medium (101-1000 employees)
Elynwood Pty Ltd
Elynwood provides professional cleaning and commercial catering services across 100 sites in Victoria. With a long and fruitful partnership with CRS more than sixty job seekers with disabilities have been placed. Since 2000 the company has taken a proactive approach to hiring people with disabilities, aiming for 10% of all staff to be people with disabilities. Flexibility and tailored training are the keys to their success.
Above, Michael Ebejer of Elynwood accepts the Award from Kerren Thorson of DEWR.
Large (over 1000 employees)
IBM Australia and NZ
IBM has a long history of innovation in the employment and inclusion of people with disabilities and this year are recognized for two innovative initiatives, driven by IBM's People with a Disability Networking Group. The Live Remote Captioning Initiative has resulted in a secure and reliable service for IBM employees who are deaf or hard of hearing, allowing them to participate more easily in meetings. The EXITE Camp aims to encourage students with disabilities to explore study and career options in information and communications technology. IBM also won Diversity@work Awards in 2002 and 2003.
Above, Kerren Thorson of DEWR (left) presents the Award to Kylie Nicolson of IBM.
Employment and Inclusion: Work / Life Balance
Small (up to 100 employees)
Fort Knox Self Storage
As a small, family-owned business running seven days a week, Fort Knox Self Storage recognises the need to be flexible in order to look after its most valuable asset: its staff. Through the introduction of reduced and flexible hours, the company has been able to hire more staff and to attract, develop and retain experienced workers, a boon to managers in terms of productivity and stress levels. For Fort Knox Self Storage, work/life balance has improved morale, loyalty and relationships in the organisation.
Fiona Krautil of ANZ (left) presents the Award to Guy Wilson of Fort Knox Self Storage.
Medium (101-1000 employees)
Scope
Scope provides disability services throughout Victoria and has implemented a strategy to improve work/life balance for Specialist Service employees. Scope actively promotes its flexible options in recruitment advertisements and has been careful to put systems and processes in place to support these options. Scope has a retention rate for 2005 and 2006 of 88% and is reaping the benefits of a team that is larger, more flexible, and more diverse than if only full-time positions were offered.
Fiona Krautil of ANZ (right) presents the Award to Bernadette Roberts of Scope.
Large (over 1000 employees)
University of South Australia
The University of South Australia offers a range of flexible leave options, including a range of parental leave options, cultural leave and partner leave; flexible working hours; training in balancing work, life and family; a free counselling service for all employees and their families; and subsidised fitness programs and on-site health services. Staff Surveys show that staff rate the university highly on work/life balance, and retention rates are similarly positive, with over 51% of staff being employed for more than seven years.
Fiona Krautil of ANZ (left) presents the Award to Shard Lorenzo of the University of South Australia.
Employment and Inclusion of CALD Australians
Small (up to 100 employees)
Lentil as Anything
Lentil as Anything restaurants have rapidly become a well-known and well-loved fixture in Melbourne, and are as much an outreach and support centre for immigrants as a business. Employing highly disadvantaged workers from an amazing range of cultural backgrounds, founder Shanaka Fernando has a close relationship with AMES and other community and cultural organisations, and is currently working to establish a formal, government-funded refugee training program.
Medium (101-1000 employees)
CRF (Colac Otway) and Colac Otway Workforce
Colac lamb processing company CRF has responded to the shortage of labour in the town by working with Colac Otway Workforce. Together they assisted two groups of immigrants, one from Sudan and one from China, in all aspects of their settlement into Colac and the company. The company has also implemented diversity training for all managers. CRF has reduced its turnover rate by 25% in the last three years and is recognised as an employer of choice and a supporter of cultural diversity in the local community.
George Lekakis of the Department for Victorian Communities (third from left) presents the Award to CRF (Colac Otway) and Colac Otway Workforce.
City of Darebin
The City of Darebin has implemented the most sophisticated internal Multilingual Communication Service of any local council in Australia. The City of Darebin actively recruits for and supports multilingual customer service officers. A specifically designed database and a new telephone system make connection with the appropriate staff members quick and easy. In the last year alone, internal interpreters and translators are estimated to have saved the City of Darebin $50,000, and the City is recognised as a champion of cultural diversity.
George Lekakis of the Department for Victorian Communities presents Sally Curran of the City of Darebin with her Award.
Employment and Inclusion of Indigenous Australians
Small (up to 100 employees)
Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre
The Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre is wholly owned and operated by the local Aboriginal communities and is committed to the education, training and employment of Aboriginal people. The Centre operates a restaurant and shops, as well as running educational and cultural activities for schools and other groups. Brambuk has also forged partnerships with private and public organisations, creating mutually beneficial relationships resulting in cross-cultural training for the organisations and training and employment outcomes for Brambuk.
Wendy Prentis of Australia Post (left) presents the Award to Virginia Harris, accepting the award on behalf of her mother, Kaye Harris, of Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
Medium (101-1000 employees)
Yorke Peninsula Health Service, Maitland Hospital
Maitland Hospital is a small acute and aged care facility in rural South Australia. In 2002 the hospital was approached by the local Aboriginal community, who were concerned about the accessibility of the facility to their people. The hospital has since employed an Aboriginal Liaison Officer and created nursing cadetships for Aboriginal people. All employees at Maitland Hospital undertake cultural awareness training and the hospital has developed resources to assist staff to provide culturally appropriate care.
Wendy Prentis of Australia Post (left) presents the Award to Barb Carlin of Maitland Hospital (Yorke Peninsula Health Service).
Large (over 1000 employees)
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
A winner in 2005 for their multi-pronged strategy to boost employment and inclusion of Indigenous Australians, the ABC has made significant progress in 2006, holding its inaugural Indigenous Programs launch to showcase Indigenous radio and television programs, Indigenous employment initiatives and the achievements of Indigenous staff. The ABC's Bonner Committee was also included in the official organisational structure and organisation-wide funding was allocated to increase recruitment advertising in the Indigenous media.
Wendy Prentis of Australia Post (left) presents the Award to Paul Brant of the ABC.
Employment and Inclusion of Mature Age Workers
Small (up to 100 employees)
Family Touch Home Care Services
Family Touch Home Care Services provide aged and disability services and have implemented a mature age recruitment initiative, recognising that mature workers are preferred by many of their mature clients. This was communicated in mainstream and mature-age media, and through consultation with community groups and mature age associations. Family Touch Home Care Services has been successful in attracting mature age workers: 54% of employees are over 50.
Raelene Thompson of the Department of Health and Ageing (middle) with Lesley Farrell and Steven Kupshik of Family Touch Home Care Services.
Medium (101-1000 employees)
Benetas
Benetas provides aged care services and was a Diversity@work Award winner last year. Benetas continues to develop its reputation as an employer of choice for mature age workers through flexibility of hours, leave and work arrangements and continued training and development. In 2006 Benetas has started a Male Employee Network (MEN), recognising the fact that men are in the minority in the aged care sector. This year Benetas has increased its proportion of mature age workers to 66% over 40 and 40% over 50.
Raelene Thompson of the Department of Health and Ageing (right) with Sharon Callister of Benetas.
Large (over 1000 employees)
IBM Australia and NZ
In 2003, IBM's Diversity Council created a taskforce to develop an intergenerational strategy. Based on consultation with IBM's mature age employees, IBM expanded their range of flexible work arrangements and support services for staff, which include financial advice, health and wellbeing programs, and family and elder care resources. IBM has been successful in increasing its mature age recruitment rate and staff surveys show an improvement in employees' feelings of satisfaction at work and being able to balance work with life. IBM also won Diversity@work Awards in 2002 and 2003.
Raelene Thompson of the Department of Health and Ageing (left) with Kylie Nicolson of IBM.
Victorian Grey Matters Employer Award
The Victorian Grey Matters Employer Award was presented by the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Department for Victorian Communities. 
Form 2000 Sheetmetal Pty Ltd
A small manufacturing company in Mordialloc, Form 2000 Sheetmetal has undergone a huge cultural shift in the last seven years. In 1999, all twelve employees were under the age of thirty. Today the company actively seeks mature age workers. This year the company has partnered with POW WOW Consulting to provide a pre-employment training program for mature age job seekers. The benefits to the company are clear: turnover, absenteeism and lateness decreased, and quality and mentoring relationships have increased.
(L-R) Kate Southall of POW WOW Consulting, Sandra Edwards of Form 2000 Sheetmetal and presenter John Kerr of VECCI.
Diversity Champion Award
Ralph Monley and Peta Monley
Miraquin
Miraquin is a small organisation operating in regional Western Australia and includes Miraquin Psychological Services and iHear Australia. Chairman Ralph Monley and Managing Director Peta Motley are two of twelve staff in the organisation, seven of whom were born overseas and two of whom have disabilities. Miraquin holds three open days each year to allow people with hearing impairments to receive audiological testing free of cost, and provides free psychological assessments all year. Because of the linguistic diversity of the team, Miraquin is also able to provide audiological and psychological services to the community in eight different languages. In the workplace Miraquin is equally inclusive, offering free counseling to resolve any workplace conflicts or to address personal issues experienced by employees. Miraquin also holds monthly lunches when staff come to work in their national costume and share a multicultural meal.
Above, Peta Monley of Miraquin accepts her award from Mike Zafiropolous of SBS.