Written by:
Future Group
25 June 2024
Future Group has been awarded Silver Tier status by the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), upgrading from our 2023 bronze status, in recognition of the improvements we've made to support LGBTQIA+ team members recently.
AWEI is run by Pride in Diversity as a way of benchmarking LGBTQIA+ inclusion in Australian workplaces. We were awarded Bronze status by the index in 2023, harnessing its points system to track our progress.
Our commitment is to harness the power of superannuation to build a future without climate change or inequality, and equality starts in the workplace. With a workforce full of great people from a diverse range of backgrounds and life experiences, we can bring our whole selves and do our best work.
Our SuperPride employee resource group provides a safe space for around 15% of our team members who identify as LGBQTIA+, with everyone invited to become an ally.
We provide everyone with guidance and resources to foster LGBTQIA+ acceptance – including using inclusive language and sharing our pronouns – and use de-biased recruitment screening practices.
But we wanted to keep progressing, to keep the momentum going and to be able to measure and benchmark our progress.
So, earlier this year, to find out how we measure up as an inclusive and supportive workplace for our LGBTQIA+ team members and the communities we serve, we asked the team to complete an AWEI survey to track our progress. Then we made a submission to Pride in Diversity to upgrade our certification from Bronze to Silver level.
To up our AWEI ante, we put the spotlight on some of leading policies and initiatives to springboard us to an advanced certification level this year, including:
Gender Affirmation Workplace Plan. We are proud of our Gender Affirmation Policy, which outlines how we talk, act and raise awareness around transgender and gender diversity. The new plan provides a pathway for gender affirmation including mental health support, access to resources and flexible leave entitlements.
LGBTQIA+ awareness training. To support our zero-tolerance policy towards discrimination, team members and new starters undergo LGBTQIA+ awareness training.
Celebrating days of significance. Together, we celebrate days of significance to the LGBTQIA+ community, including IDAHOBIT (17 May), Sydney Mardi Gras and Wear it Purple Day (30 August), which raised $2,466 last year to help fund LGBTQIA+ resources for schools.
Tracking engagement. We use metrics from our quarterly employee surveys to measure how our LGBTQIA+ team members feel towards our organisation and where we can do better.
We have moved from Bronze in 2023 to Silver in 2024.
Sustainability and DEIB Manager at Future Group, Steve James, said:
“It's great to be acknowledged as a silver tier company by AWEI in our second year engaging with the benchmark.
“But the real power of our LGBTQIA+ resource group's work here is in making improvements that help our people feel supported to do the best work of their lives, with progressive policies, celebrations of significant days, sharing awareness of things that matter to LGBTQIA+ people at work, and connecting with allies. AWEI helps us with a roadmap to keep improving.”
It’s fantastic to be gilding our beautiful rainbow with silver, but we’re not here for accolades. The most important thing is that we’ve stepped up to a new baseline from where we can continually improve the workplace experience for our LGBTQIA+ team members and stakeholders.
We will work towards achieving an even higher standard in LGBTQIA+ inclusion, because we believe the future is powered by many voices and perspectives. Next stop, gold!
