Large and small employers from all sectors of the Australian economy were recognised today at the Australian LGBTQ+ Inclusion Awards for meeting the highest standards of commitment to being inclusive of LGBTQ+ people and communities, demonstrating that LGBTQ+ inclusion is good for business, good for staff, and good for broader society.
Held today in Sydney, the awards saw DLA Piper and The Star Entertainment Group being jointly awarded ‘Employer of the Year,’ while Custom Fleet was named ‘Small Employer of the Year.’ Other high performers included Macquarie Group and AstraZeneca Australia and New Zealand.
First held in 2011, the Awards are based on the results of the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Submissions, which allows Australian organisations to benchmark their LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practice on an annual basis.
The event acknowledges and celebrates the organisations demonstrating foundational and progressive efforts toward making workplaces inclusive and equitable for LGBTQ+ people.
The prestigious Platinum tier — awarded to organisations with consistently high scores over the past five years — recognised leaders including Accenture, AGL Energy, Australian Taxation Office, ABC, Capgemini, Clayton Utz, Coles Group, CSIRO, Deloitte, KPMG Australia, Macquarie Group, NAB, nbn co, QBE Insurance, Services Australia, SBS, and The University of Sydney.
Dawn Emsen-Hough, Director of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, said the ongoing commitment from employers shows that LGBTQ+ inclusion is not only the right thing to do, but delivers wide-reaching benefits.
“We’re seeing outstanding results in this year’s AWEI submissions, which clearly reflect how deeply many organisations value this work,” Emsen-Hough said.
“Our data shows that when inclusion is embedded in workplace culture, it leads to stronger engagement, improved wellbeing, and better performance outcomes — not only for LGBTQ+ employees but for all staff,” she added. “When organisations get LGBTQ+ inclusion right, everyone benefits.”
Despite positive progress, the AWEI Employee Survey highlighted that the number of employees who feel safe to be fully out at work has declined slightly, with current social discourse identified as a contributing factor.
“This reinforces the importance of visible, ongoing leadership and commitment to inclusion across all levels of an organisation.” Emsen-Hough added.
Held at the ICC Sydney Grand Ballroom and hosted by SBS presenters Ricardo Gonçalves and Madeleine Wedesweiler, the awards featured a performance by acclaimed Gamilaraay artist Mitch Tambo and VOICE OF LELE!
The sold-out event was produced by Pride in Diversity, a national not-for-profit program supporting employers in all aspects of LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion, and an initiative of ACON, Australia’s largest LGBTQ+ health organisation.
Murdoch University’s Rebecca Bennett takes out the Executive Leadership Award
Among the many winners was Murdoch University’s Rebecca Bennett who picked up the Executive Leadership award.
Bennett is the universities Deputy Vice Chancellor of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University were listed in the Silver Tier of Australian employers who have outstanding support for their LGBTIQA+ staff. While Main Roads WA are in the Bronze tier.
Declaration: OUTinPerth co-editor Graeme Watson is an employee at Edith Cowan University.
