An audit is the first step in developing a Gender equality action plan. It sets the baseline for your organisation’s gender equality data.
An audit is also done as part of a progress report. It compares your workforce and employee experience data with the data from your previous audit(s).
In a year when both a gender equality action plan and progress report are due, you only need to do one audit.
Who needs to do audits
The Gender Equality Act 2020 and Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023 require around 300 Victorian public sector organisations (duty holders) to do audits. They include:
- public service bodies
- public entities
- special bodies
- local councils
- universities
- Court Services Victoria
- Office of Public Prosecutions.
Here is a list of duty holders.
When to do audits
You need to do an audit every two years.
In a year when both a gender equality action plan and progress report are due, a single audit supports both obligations.
Why do audits
The data collected in audits will show where gender inequality exists and persists in your organisation. It helps you to see what is and isn’t working. Your organisation can then make informed decisions on what actions to take to reduce gender inequality.
How to do audits
There are two types of data you need for your audits:
- workforce data – this is gathered from your internal data collection systems. For example, HR and payroll data.
- employee experience data – this is based on employee experience surveys, such as the People matter survey. Along with your workforce data, it helps you to help you better understand gender inequality in your organisation.
Your audits need to include gender-disaggregated data. This means separating data about women, men and gender diverse people.
Your audits also need to reflect intersectionality. This means considering how gender inequality may be compounded by disadvantage or discrimination that someone experiences because of other factors such as Aboriginality, age, disability, or ethnicity.
You can find resources for applying an intersectional approach on the Leading practice resources page.
Important dates
- 1 May 2025 - The new 2025 Audit guidance(opens in a new window) released.
- 1 December 2025 – Submit your 2025 audit.
- 1 May 2026 – Submit your 2026 Progress report and Gender equality action plan.
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