How inclusive are Australian workplaces for a diversity of employees, and how has this changed over time? What impact does inclusion have on performance and wellbeing? The 2019-2020 Inclusion@Work Index surveyed a nationally representative sample of 3,000 Australian workers to find out.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
DCA acknowledges the Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respect to them, and to Elders past, present and emerging.
DCA supports the proper recognition of the unique status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our country’s history and of ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices are central in any discussions around recognition and reconciliation.
Many organisations are committed to engaging with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and providing employment opportunities is a key part of this engagement.
But genuine inclusion is about more than simply creating employment opportunities.
Genuine inclusion must begin with reconciliation. There can be no genuine workplace inclusion while our First Nations Peoples are excluded from opportunities, and we as a nation do not address race relations, equality and equity, unity, institutional integrity, and historical acceptance.
It also requires creating an organisation that understands and respects Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. Providing a safe and welcoming environment should be a critical part of any workplace’s diversity and inclusion strategy and planning.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people have experienced significant exclusion from Australian society for many years. Ending that exclusion is foundational to D&I.
DCA Research
Change At Work
For well over thirty years, initiatives designed to improve diversity and inclusion (D&I) have been a priority for organisations – but are the plethora of D&I initiatives actually creating the organisational change they aspire to?
Inclusion@Work Index 2017-2018
The DCA-Suncorp Inclusion@Work Index 2017-2018 is a landmark study, providing the first-ever national benchmarks for Australian workplaces in regards to the age, cultural background, disability status, gender, Indigenous background, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity of workers.
WordsAtWork - Building inclusion through the power of language
DCA has developed a new Words At Work campaign for workplaces to show how inclusive language can improve workplace culture and drive productivity.
Closing the Work Gap in Corporate Australia
Diversity Council Australia partnered with Reconciliation Australia and Lend Lease on new research called, Closing the Work Gap in Corporate Australia. The research involved conducting interviews with Indigenous thought leaders, and engagement and employment practitioners.
Engaging Aboriginal Australians in our workplace
Sponsored by National Australia Bank, this landmark research project revealed the motivations and aspirations of Aboriginal Australians to provide valuable information to help build sustainable employment strategies for the future.
Case Studies
Indigenous women making their mark as tradies
A national Indigenous recruitment service is successfully placing Aboriginal women into a typically male-dominated workforce through an intensive traineeship.
Australian Public Service Commission's Indigenous Careers Webpages
The Indigenous Careers Webpages also provides a range of information and advice about applying for jobs, and offers information about career development and support available for Indigenous Australians.
NAB's Emerging Indigenous Executive Leaders Program
NAB has led the development of the EIELP, a program that has shown Aboriginal and / or Torres Strait Islander employees that their Indigenous culture has many things to offer the boardroom.
Indigenous representation at Woolworths
In support of their commitment to increasing Indigenous employment, Woolworths has built a comprehensive workforce plan.
Woolworths Resourcing the Future Program
Woolworths is committed to driving employment growth of Indigenous people in Australia through their Resourcing the Future Program.
News
DCA launches a new online destination for workplace diversity and inclusion
Media releases
19 Feb 2020
Diversity Council Australia is excited to be launching Australia’s first online platform collaborating with a variety of service providers in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) space.
Ground-breaking research reveals support for inclusion in workplaces is up among one of the most resistant groups
Media releases
28 Nov 2019
DCA's 2019-2020 Inclusion@Work Index shows that support for diversity and inclusion (D&I) is up among men – traditionally the group least likely to strongly support, and one of the groups most likely to oppose such initiatives.
DCA announces support of Uluru Statement from the Heart
Media releases
25 Nov 2019
Diversity Council Australia has officially announced its support of the Uluru Statement from the Heart campaign to secure constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Perspectives
Unfinished business
Podcasts
25 Nov 2019
What exactly is constitutional recognition and why does it matter to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians? Advocate and union leader Thomas Mayor explains in this important epsiode of our podcast.
Sorry Business
Podcasts
14 Oct 2019
In the first episode for Season 2 of The Art of Inclusion, we consider the cultural protocols for death in Indigenous communities – and how workplaces can better understand and support this practice.
NAIDOC 2019: Voice, Treaty Truth
Blog
08 Jul 2019
NAIDOC 2019's theme is Voice, Treaty Truth. We find out what that means to community leader Thomas Mayor.
Coming events
16 Jun 2020
The number of domestic and family violence victims seeking urgent assistance during the COVID-19 lockdown has increased as many are isolated at home with their perpetrators.
01 Jul 2020
Date and time are subject to change and will be confirmed closer to the event.
15 Jul 2020
At this webinar we will look at the impact of COVID-19 on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from a health and economic perspective and we would like to invite representatives from government, business and community to discuss the challenges and impacts that the virus is having.
Hosted by Aurecon Australasia Pty Ltd
01 Sep 2020
We are pleased to invite Perth-based members to join our CEO Lisa Annese for a special member briefing on our latest D&I research on Inclusion@Work Index and Counting Culture.
29 Sep 2020
This Indigenous Network investigates how to acknowledge historical truths that have led to the ongoing exclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from modern Australia.
Date and time are subject to change and will be confirmed closer to the event.
01 Mar 2021
At this network event, Reconciliation Australia outlines the State of Reconciliation in 2020.
Date and time are subject to change and will be confirmed closer to the event.
Webcasts from past events
Sponsored by National Australia Bank
12 Mar 2020
This network event focused on constitutional recognition and the Uluru Statement from the Heart and how organisations can show their support.
Sponsored by Suncorp
05 Dec 2019
What are the experiences of Australian workers when it comes to inclusion? DCA launched the second Inclusion at Work Index which maps and tracks inclusion in Australian workplaces.