Diverse friendly program helps women rise to their potential

The Diversity Council Australia’s RISE project is designed to help break down barriers for culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) women in the workplace.

DCA recently announced five new organisations that will participate in phase one of the program, whose name stands for Realise, Inspire, Support, Energise:

• Telstra
• HCF
• Accenture
• Uniting NSW.ACT
• Gilbert + Tobin

The RISE project was initiated after a landmark DCA report identified intersectional barriers locking many women from diverse backgrounds out of leadership positions.

Following a pilot in October 2023 involving Arup and University of Technology Sydney (UTS), the first phase of RISE was launched by DCA in partnership with Settlement Services International (SSI) and Chief Executive Women (CEW) in January.

Participants in the program will use an Australia-first self-audit tool to assess their organisation’s racial literacy.

The results will form part of a tailored 12-month action plan for each organisation, including built-in training from DCA and SSI on anti-racism and cultural responsiveness.

Each of the organisations taking part in RISE has nominated up to 20 female employees identified as culturally and racially marginalised who it is hoped will benefit from an individually tailored career support plan and leadership program opportunities.

DCA said its own research conducted over the past six years has shown that culturally and racially marginalised women in leadership positions in Australia are few and far between.

The research found that while women from diverse backgrounds are ambitious, capable and resilient, they still experience a range of systemic barriers in Australian workplaces, such as:

• not having their voices or lived experience heard

• being assessed against biased leadership models

• not having access to influential social networks where promotion decisions are often made.

To address these issues, the RISE project is working with organisations and culturally and racially marginalised women to support them in tackling the root causes of barriers to success and creating lasting organisational change.

DCA CEO Lisa Annese said the newly announced participating organisations come from a diverse range of sectors, including hospitality, telecommunications, professional services, social justice advocacy, community services and spiritual care.

“DCA commends these organisations for their involvement in the RISE project,” said Ms Annese.

“By taking the lead, they not only elevate their own standards, but also illuminate a pathway for broader organisational learning in dismantling systemic barriers, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable leadership landscape across Australia."