Senior leaders told to 'lead by example' in workplace by Commissioner
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Dr. Anna Cody is urging senior leaders to be more engaged in sexual harassment and discrimination policies in the workplace amid reports of their lagging involvement.
The commissioner made the remarks after a recent report from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) found that 85% of CEOs are engaged reviewing, signing off on, and then communicating sexual harassment and discrimination policies at work.
However, only 55% of their boards are similarly involved in these policies.
"We call on senior leaders to continue to lead by example, ensuring their policies and practices actively foster respect and equality," Cody said in a statement.
The same WGEA report also found that 95% of businesses and organisations in Australia are most likely to have a process to disclose, investigate, and manage incidents of work-related sexual harassment and discrimination.
"This is a great start, and we must continue working to ensure workers feel safe and empowered to report cases of sexual harassment and discrimination," Cody said.
Australia marked in December 2024 the first year of the Australian Human Rights Commission's positive duty regulatory powers.
This grants the AHRC the authority to investigate and enforce compliance with the positive duty to prevent sexual discrimination and harassment at work.
The "positive duty" refers to the legal obligation of employers to prevent relevant unlawful conduct, including:
"The positive duty marks a pivotal shift in how we approach workplace equality," Cody said. "It isn't just about compliance, it is about creating a culture where all workers are valued, respected and are treated equally."
