• Leading Australian companies increasingly recognise the importance of reflecting their customer base and responding to the diverse needs of the communities in which they operate.
• International research shows that diverse teams of problem-solvers outperform groups of the best individuals at solving problems.
• Firms with a higher proportion of women in senior management financially outperform companies with less diversity over time.
• Business benefits emerge most effectively when organisations achieve a critical mass of 30% women at each level and in each function of an organisation.
• The ASX Corporate Governance Council now requires each listed company in Australia to establish and disclose to the market their Diversity policy, including measurable objectives relating to gender.

"Unconscious or hidden beliefs – attitudes and biases beyond our regular perceptions of ourselves and others – underlie a great deal of our patterns of behaviour about diversity."
2008 Diversity Best Practices: Proven Strategies for Addressing Unconscious Bias in the workplace.

To learn more about your own biases:

• Undertake the Harvard Implicit Association Test (IAT), the most effective online tool to gain greater awareness about one's own biases, preferences and beliefs. https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/
• Seek out feedback from your team and peers about whether your personal preferences and beliefs inadvertently hinder diversity.
• Make a positive effort to learn more about the experiences of those not in your 'in-group'.

Diversity Partners has significant experience across the following industry sectors since 2009.

Financial Services

• Diagnostic on diversity challenges and opportunities for a firm with 15,000 employees in Australia and New Zealand.
• Diagnostic for a large institutional bank with global operations.
• Facilitation of diversity council meetings
• Advice on strategy development
• Leadership programs on unconscious bias
• Support with compliance requirements
• Benchmarking assessments

Engineering Services

• Project to update and refine recruitment processes to attract women engineers
• Diversity Diagnostic for the Australian operations of a global firm

Professional Services

• Diversity strategy development for top-tier law firms
• Diagnostic for mid-tier firm
• Leadership programs on inclusive leadership
• Programs for partners on managing flexible work
• Coaching and guidance on diversity initiatives
• Mentoring circles for women

Manufacturing

• Facilitation of women's networking forums
• Diversity strategy development

Resources

• Benchmarking assessments
• Diagnostics for large mining firm
• Strategy development for large energy firm
• Facilitation of diversity councils
• Leadership programs for new and established teams
• Executive coaching
• Preparation of submissions to government
• Facilitation of diversity programs for global firm's leadership academy

Health & Wellbeing

• Review of diversity strategy
• Strategic advice and coaching

Government

• Diversity diagnostics
• Facilitation of diversity committees