Case for change

Based on your workplace gender audit results and your consultations, include a statement which explicitly sets out your defined entity’s commitment to the gender equality principles outlined in section 6 of the Act. This statement should outline how you have used the principles to inform the strategies and measures in your GEAP. The gender equality principles, as listed in section 6 of the Act, are:

• All Victorians should live in a safe and equal society, have access to equal power, resources and opportunities and be treated with dignity, respect and fairness
• Gender equality benefits all Victorians regardless of gender
• Gender equality is a human right and precondition to social justice
• Gender equality brings significant economic, social and health benefits for Victoria
• Gender equality is a precondition for the prevention of family violence and other forms of violence against women and girls
• Advancing gender equality is a shared responsibility across the Victorian community
• All human beings, regardless of gender, should be free to develop their personal abilities, pursue their professional careers and make choices about their lives without being limited by gender stereotypes, gender roles or prejudices
• Gender inequality may be compounded by other forms of disadvantage or discrimination that a person may experience based on Aboriginality, age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and other attributes
• Women have historically experienced discrimination and disadvantage based on sex and gender
• Special measures may be necessary to achieve gender equality

This statement should include how your defined entity has considered intersectional gender inequality in the development of your GEAP. This may be through highlighting:

• what your defined entity has identified as the systemic barriers to access, inclusion and equity for people who experience intersectional gender inequality
• how you consulted with and incorporated feedback from people who experience intersectional gender inequality and any other relevant organisation such as a peak body or representative organisation
• insights relating to people who experience intersectional gender inequality, identified through your workplace gender audit or through other means
• strategies and measures relating to intersectional gender inequality in your GEAP.

Include a clear explanation in your GEAP of why gender equality is relevant and important to your workplace. This is called the business case for gender equality. The audience for your business case should primarily be your internal workforce. The business case should reference the benefits of workplace gender equality. For example:

• Improved productivity, economic and social outcomes
• Improved engagement and wellbeing of your staff
• Increased organisational performance
• Enhanced ability of organisations to attract talent and retain employees
• Enhanced capacity to innovate in order to solve complex problems during changing conditions
• Enhanced ability of organisations to engage with Victoria’s diverse community

Your business case could also incorporate your defined entity’s commitment to the gender equality principles set out in the Act, and how these will inform the strategies and measures to promote gender equality in your defined entity.

Further resources for developing the business case for your GEAP can be found on the Leading practice resources page.

Set out a vision for where your defined entity will be in 4 years’ time when it comes to workplace gender equality. This should be developed using the feedback you receive from your workforce throughout your GEAP consultation. Include reference to the goals your defined entity is seeking to achieve based on the gaps and opportunities specific to your defined entity,identified through your workplace gender audit as well as any other relevant research or data.

Your vision statement should also demonstrate your defined entity’s commitment to making reasonable and material progress in relation to the workplace gender equality indicators (s16(1)).

If you have existing strategies or measures relating to people based on Aboriginality, age, disability, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation and/or any other attribute which may compound the effects of gender inequality, you can outline how this GEAP complements those existing strategies and measures.

Further resources about these attributes and how to apply the Act’s intersectional gender inequality provisions can be found on the Leading practice resources page.

You may wish to include contextual information on your defined entity’s efforts to improve gender equality, and how this GEAP builds upon that existing work.