In 2014, Harrier published our whitepaper, Gender Diversity: Inspiring Change. It examined the cultural landscape for gender diversity in Australia and highlighted inhibitors to progress and opportunities for change. Half a decade later, reflecting on progress made, there is no doubt that we have matured and evolved our thinking, however, a lack of long-term strategy and limited cohesion between Federal and State Government and private enterprise, and entrenched social and cultural bias is still hindering progress.
We understand the business case for gender diversity: It is a moral imperative, and a business that is more reflective of the communities that it serves, that has balanced leadership and an inclusive culture will perform better financially, attract better talent and retain its best people. This paper intends to inspire thought and action. It considers the current state of play in Australia, and presents evidence to help understand where employers need to focus efforts in order to authentically move forward and create the right environment for change.
