QLS awarded Australian workplace gender equality citation

The Federal Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) today announced Queensland Law Society as 2021 Employer of the Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation.

Designed to encourage, recognise and promote active commitment to achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces, QLS is now one of only 17 new organisations to receive the prestigious two-year citation.

QLS CEO Rolf Moses said the citation demonstrates QLS’s commitment to its staff and members of the legal profession on the importance of gender equality and supporting a recruitment strategy to attract and retain the best possible talent.

“I am proud of Queensland Law Society’s commitment to gender equality and this strategy is key to underpinning a culture that values equality, diversity and inclusion of all employees.’’ Mr Moses said.

With more than 120 members of staff, 93 (75%) are women and 18 of those (60%) serve in managerial roles, making QLS an organisation with strong culture of diversity and inclusion. QLS now joins a group of 119 existing citation-holders across Australia.

WGEA Director Libby Lyons said QLS was one of 17 new EOCGE citation holders to join the existing cohort of 119 from 2019-20.

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“The WGEA (EOCGE) citation is recognised as a rigorous and sophisticated guide for employers to implement leading-practice initiatives designed to achieve gender equality in their workplaces,’’ Ms Lyons said

“Despite the tremendous upheaval and disruption caused to Australian businesses by the COVID-19 pandemic, dedicated organisations (like QLS) have maintained an unswerving commitment to achieving their EOCGE citation.

“I want to sincerely thank and acknowledge these employers for their extraordinary efforts in these trying times. We know that gender equality is good for business and crucial to our post-COVID-19 economic recovery. By driving better gender equality outcomes in their workplaces, these EOCGE citation holders are showing the right way forward for other Australian businesses.’’

The trends among this year’s recipients include entrenching organisation-wide flexible work practices, tailored parental leave policies to support use by women and men, programs to increase women in leadership, initiatives to support women to return to work, robust analysis and correction of gender pay gaps, and increased accountability through reporting gender equality metrics to key management personnel and the board.

QLS’s Head of Education Sandra Pepper said there were many compelling reasons for organisations to actively pursue gender equality across their workforces, whether it be that equality increases productivity, organisation performance or financial bottom lines.

“Whatever metric is applied however, for me the overwhelming driver is it is just the right thing to do to provide the same financial remuneration, opportunities and support regardless of gender – the WGEA citation is recognition of an organisation who is doing this,’’ Ms Pepper said.

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QLS is honoured to join the following law firms who also hold the WGEA citation: