Pink tick for bosses
A new workplace equality index will offer GLBT workers a guide to the most friendly -” and least friendly -” workplaces.
The Diversity Council of Australia (DCA) and the GLBT Health Alliance are in talks to establish a new organisation in the next few months to build the checklist that will compare businesses and encourage better options for GLBT employees. It will rank Australian businesses on their inclusive hiring and promoting policies, and whether they extend benefits to same-sex partners.
Alliance spokesman David Scamell said the first annual index is expected to be released in 2009.
We’re getting together an expert advisory committee with people from industrial relations and human resour-ces and LGBT rights to work out what the most appropriate index formula will be for the Australian context, Scamell said this week.
What type of index we’ll have, either top 100 or sliding scale, is still open. We’ve met with both [UK rights organisation] Stonewall and the US Human Rights Campaign to talk about their index models. So far we’ve decided we’re not just doing the index but also content-based learning development for employers.
To coincide with the first equality index, the DCA plans to offer diversity training on GLBT issues to its member organisations and businesses, similar to Stonewall’s Diversity Champions program. Money raised from those services would fund the annual index and advisory body.
The announcement was made at a forum for industrial relations and human resources managers on making workplaces inclusive of GLBT employees hosted by law firm Gilbert + Tobin and DCA.
DCA CEO Nareen Young said their survey of Australian businesses found only 64 percent extended spousal health insurance and work travel benefits to same-sex partners and just 55 percent used a superannuation fund that would recognise a same-sex partner as a beneficiary.
For us that comes as a shock, and certainly indicates we need to do more, Young said.
But she was also concerned by the subtle social discrimination, which can rob businesses of talent as GLBT employees leave to seek better conditions.
But no one thinks we run businesses that allow overt discrimination. But jokes and other subtle things occur in even the most leading businesses, regardless of what policies are in place, she said. Workers shouldn’t have to shelve their identity at the door.
Dianne Banks, a partner with Gilbert + Tobin who works in industrial law, said it was often difficult to prove such discrimination, and a business’s policies usually lagged far behind government policy on diversity and inclusion, even when legislation in some states required same-sex inclusion, such as
parental leave.
You’ve got to get lucky with who your employer is, Banks said. Good employees will extend benefits, but having legislative backing will also help everyone.
ACON CEO Stevie Clayton said GLBT employees would rather leave and find a new job than fight a discrimination case in the workplace.
She also noted that no Australian business allowed its employees to nominate ACON, which is a registered charity, as their preferred payroll charity.
Have your say: Do employment policies matter to you when choosing a new job?
Heres one. What about Gay Employers who mistreat other Gay Co workers or Employees. Wheres the Laws to protect myself from a Predatory, Sadistic Gay Boss. Are we forgetting that Homophobia is within the Gay community also!!
Paul Mitchell: Do you actually read postings properly before you make a comment?
The workplace itself might have a Gay Friendly Policy however theres Managers and Employees that have their own Opinions. These are the ones that usually are the workplace Misfit and want to take over and make the whole environment miserable for everyone.
I’ve been an out manager in IBM for around 15 years. I have been closely involved with the GLBT ‘journey’ within the corporation, both in Europe and Australia including the UK Diversity Index. Our experience is that Corporations respond much better to positive brand messages than attacks. While I understand the immediate comfort factor in ‘naming and shaming’, positive recognition actually works better in the long run. Negative press drives the unwanted behaviours deeper underground and is harder to challenge. I’ve addded a link to a BBC article as an example of how the Diversity Index can be used for positive reinforcement. It had a very strong impact inside IBM and in the market overall.
I think SSO should do a “Current Affair” style exposure into Homophobic companies!!!
Identifying gay-friendly employers is an extremely relevant service. I do my bit for News Ltd. I watch virtually no TV news and absolutely read no newspapers other than SSO and other like publications.
Australians feel that they always have to have an opinion! Free speech in this country has got to the point where its become “Manipulative Malicious Speech” Heres another homophobic company to add to the list, “Accor Asia Pacific”
I suggest that we should put list of companies that have homophobic and no zero tolerance on discrimination. Put them to shame and ensure GLBT people are aware not to work with those companies….Discrimination and Homophobic affect people’s health, relationship, talents etc…PUT THEM TO SHAME!!!!! ALSO, NAMES INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE HOMOPHOBIC….At the end of the days,,,,this country has freedom of speech…Lets do it for the shake of our own minority people. Enough is enough…Thanks for individual who shared his experiences working at News Ltd…I will make sure that I will not apply any job there!!!
Andy, Agree agree with you….Let’s do it….put those homophobic companies and individuals on shame…..Good ideas…We are into 21st century,,,any discrimination etc….must not happen.
I was sacked by News Ltd in 2004 for bringing the company into disrepute and threatening senior members of staff.This was after 34 yrs clean working history.I have a detailed history of the homophobia I experianced in the News Ltd workplace.My union demanded an independent investigation.I draw your attention to the case of Davindare Nidu in the NSW Supreme court.Robert Paul and John could we link up and do Australia a favour and expose this disgusting media monopoly.
What does coffee got to do with being gay? I never liked coffee and I am a gay man.
I once worked for a media company in North Queensland where the boss questioned my sexuality because I made my coffee using a plunger instead of drinking instant coffee!! Grrrrrr!
I have a job list of naming and shaming companies also
This is fantastic. Having a list like this really put employers on notice.
There is an Australian list already in existence, that lists pro-gay employers who recognise the Equal Marriages of thier same-sex-attracted employees.
http://www.australianmarriageequality.com/employers.htm
But the more lists, the better… and a list that also includes the worst offenders (such as Daily Telegraph / news.com.au) would also be great- to name & shame.
I have traveled and worked openly gay in diffrent work places world wide and one thing I have noticed here in Australia rather than in other countries is that Australia tends to be very BIG in “free speech” and what Im finding is that a HIGH number of employers are using that as an excuse for homophobia in the work place.
Another example is Sky News which also “beats-up” total silly nonsence about gay issues.
Let’s hope they take a good look at News Ltd – it would have to be one of the most homophobic places I have ever had the misfortune of working – albeit bery briefly. If you are openly gay, well you may as well sit in a hole and rot for all they care. Of course, I am not blaming Rupert, but some of the people he employs are so homophobic it is no wonder papers like the Daily Telegraph continually run beat-up garbage about gay issues.