DCA's Guide to Conducting a Diversity Survey - How to ask your employees about their diversity.
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
Gari Yala (Speak the Truth): Centreing the experiences of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians at work
New research from the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research and Diversity Council Australia is speaking truth to Australian employers about the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
Inclusion@Work Index 2019-2020
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.
Creating inclusive multi-faith workplaces
This resource provides guidance to Australian workplaces about how to deal with a range of common faith-related queries, and also to provide workplaces with principles to help balance issues where conflicting rights might intersect.
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
Herbert Smith Freehills taking action to improve ethnic diversity across the firm (2020)
In the wake of the tragic killing of George Floyd in May 2020, Herbert Smith Freehills’ CEO and the broader leadership team began a deeper conversation with their people about improving ethnic diversity across the firm.
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
It’s time for Indigenous people to speak the truth about their workplace experience. And it’s time for workplaces to listen
Media releases
17 Nov 2020
A new report, out today, from the Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research and DCA is speaking truth to Australian employers about the experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
Black Lives Matter and ways to make genuine progress on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workplace inclusion
News articles
25 Jun 2020
The US Black Lives Matter movement has shone a light on continued injustices and inequalities experienced by Indigenous people in our society. How can we ensure that this moment does not pass by without genuine progress on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workplace inclusion?
First Ever Australian survey to capture truths about employment experiences of Indigenous Australians
Media releases
16 Jun 2020
The first ever Australian survey that aims to capture the truths of Indigenous Australians’ employment experiences in Australia has been launched today.
Perspectives
DCA Submission in response to the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process
Submissions
05 Mar 2021
DCA has welcomed the opportunity to make this Submission in response to the Indigenous Voice Co-design Process Interim Report to the Australian Government.
Black Lives Matter in Australia | Featuring John Paul Janke
Q&A
14 Jul 2020
The momentum generated by the US Black Lives Matter movement has seen Australian organisations question their own systemic inequalities. However, many feel they lack the capability to channel this energy into achieving real change respectfully, inclusively and confidently.
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.
Coming events
24 Jun 2021
At this event we will be delving into Reconciliation Australia's ‘2021 State of Reconciliation in Australia report’ and drawing on data from the 2020 Australian Reconciliation Barometer.
20 Jul 2021
Gari Yala, which means ‘speak the truth’ in the Wiradjuri language, is based on a survey 1,033 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander workers across Australia. The report reveals that Indigenous employees continue to experience significant workplace racism and exclusion and that racism is impacting wellbeing and job satisfaction and this session aims to provide a deep dive into the research findings.
09 Aug 2021
Our Gari Yala 'speak the truth' report released last year drew on the insights and experiences of more than 1000 Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait workers. A key learning from the report was the importance of unearthing and acting on workplace truths – however uncomfortable they may be. At this event, we will uncover historical truths that underpin exclusion of Indigeous people and move forward and how to shape a better future.
Webcasts from past events
03 Mar 2021
Learn how to become an advocate for Constitutional recognition and the Uluru Statement and hear the latest on the From the Heart campaign and how you can be an ally.
04 Feb 2021
A Voice to Parliament is a fair and practical way to deliver meaningful constitutional recognition and reform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.