June 16, 2020

UOW honoured for LGBTQI+ inclusion

University awarded a Bronze and recognised among the nation's most inclusive employers

The University of Wollongong (UOW) was again named among the nation’s most inclusive employers on Thursday 11 June 2020 achieving a Bronze Award for the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI).

For the second consecutive year, UOW has been recognised as a Bronze employer for its efforts to support its gender, sex and sexually diverse community. The AWEI is the definitive national benchmarking instrument that measures how LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex) inclusive a workplace is. UOW achieving bronze reflects its policies and practices surrounding diversity and inclusion.

The University was also placed in the Top 3 for Regional Head Office Employers.

UOW’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE, said the University is committed to gender, sex and sexuality inclusion, for both academic and professional staff, and was thrilled to be involved in the Australian Workplace Equality Index initiative.

“UOW is delighted to have received this recognition and aims to consistently improve its position as a diverse and inclusive organisation through its workforce policies and practices.

“Inclusion is critical to an organisation’s success and crucial for society as a whole, and we are working to ensure that message is conveyed to all staff and students,” Professor Wellings said.

The award highlights positive changes being implemented across the University and the progress being made to date. UOW has implemented policies, strategies and initiatives to best support and include staff and students who identify as gender, sex and sexually diverse.

ABOUT THE AWARD

Participating in the Australian Workplace Equality Index benchmarking assessment demonstrates a strong and ongoing commitment to LGBTQI+ workplace inclusion. 2020 marked the start of a new three-year iteration of the Index, making it much harder for organisations to attain an award.

Employers that receive the Bronze Award are considered active in LGBTQI+ workplace inclusion as compared to the national benchmark.

The rankings are based on evidence including survey results. The AWEI survey’s employees in participating organisations to set a comparative benchmark.

ABOUT THE ALLY NETWORK

The Ally Network at UOW is led by Dr Quah Ee Ling Sharon (Chair) and its advisory committee members that bring together staff and students to improve awareness and advocate for the gender, sex and sexually diverse community.

The network also organises a series of events throughout the year held at various campuses which includes Chalk Rainbow, International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia, and Wear it Purple.