Griffith University continues to lead the way as an employer for gender equality.

Granted a 2015WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation for its commitment and best practice in promoting gender equality, Griffith is oneof only six organisations in Queensland, and one of 12 universities and 90 organisations nationwide, to receive the citation this year.

Ever since the inception of the awards in 2001, Griffith has been recognised for gender equity in the workplace.

The award also comes as Griffith’s Pro Vice Chancellor and Head of Logan Campus, Professor Lesley ChenowethAO, was named in the top 100 of Australia’s most influential women by the Australian Financial Review.

Griffith University Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Ian O’Connor, said the award cemented Griffith’s reputation as an equal opportunity employer.

“Equity has always been part of our ethos as a University and as an employer,” he said.

“We aim to be a University where people want to work. This requires practices and policies to build a work environment reflecting the diversity of Australian society and where people and performance are valued.

“To again receive this acknowledgement is an extremely satisfying result and is a testimony to our work and environment.”

Professor O’Connor said creating an organisational culture where women participate equally at all levels allows the University to be more effective at teaching, learning and research.

“Our strategy as a University is to work continuously to identify and address the traditional and not-so traditional disadvantages faced by women in the workforce in order to maximise the opportunities for female staff at Griffith,” he said.

Griffith has created flexible working conditions and removed barriers that prevented staff from reaching their full potential.

It also has gender equity in salaries, an open and consultative management style, and a transparent equal opportunity and anti-discrimination policy.

WGEA Director Ms Libby Lyons said the initiatives demonstrated by this year’s EOCGE recipients showed that more employers were taking a sophisticated and whole-of-organisation approach to supporting women’s and men’s equal participation at all levels of the workplace.

“Employers increasingly understand and value the benefits of having a diverse workforce for organisational culture and business performance,” said Ms Lyons.

This year’s citation applicants were required to consult with employees to demonstrate that gender equality initiatives translated into lived experience.

About the awards

The WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation is designed to encourage, recognise and promote active commitment to achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces.

The EOCGE citation commenced in 2014, replacing the predecessor citation, the EOWA Employer of Choice for Women.

The citation is strategically aligned with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Act), reflecting the change in focus of the legislation to promote and improve gender equality for both women and men, while recognising the historically disadvantaged position of women in the workplace.

The EOCGE citation is a voluntary leading practice recognition program that is separate to compliance with the Act.

Criteria for the citation cover leadership, learning and development, gender remuneration gaps, flexible working and other initiatives to support family responsibilities, employee consultation, preventing sex-based harassment and discrimination and targets for improving gender equality outcomes. Criteria are strengthened each year to reflect best practice.