Diversity Partners is a passionate team of specialists who love making a difference to workplaces so they’re more diverse, fair, and inclusive.
We asked the team to share some of their memorable engagements over the past year – in Australia and globally. Their responses reflect the diversity of work we do, this year with clients such as Aussie Broadband, the Victorian Public Sector Commission, Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust, Moose Toys, David Jones, the Australasian Railway Association, and Vicinity Centres.
Dr Katie Spearritt:
When Aussie Broadband selected us to explore cultural, structural and behavioural barriers impacting gender diversity, we had many conversations with leaders and employees at all levels. We learnt so much about the technology organisation’s unique history, culture, and business and presented findings that will help position their business for future success. Aussie has a company value of ‘no bullsh*t’. We approached the engagement with that in mind!
Tarang Chawla:
I saw how much appetite there is at the board level for practical tools that make inclusive practices feel tangible and sustainable when I was co-facilitating the ‘Building an Inclusive Board Culture’ workshop series for Victorian public sector directors. I found the most impactful moments came when participants realised that psychological safety and inclusive practices are not optional add-ons but essential to board effectiveness and ethical governance.
Jill Skromanis:
When you think about diversity, cemetery trusts may not be an industry that springs to mind. Yet, at Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT), diversity and inclusion are core tenets because of the importance of compassionate and personalised services to people from all cultural, religious, gender and other backgrounds. We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with SMCT, and most recently, we’ve worked together to co-develop their inaugural Accessibility and Inclusion Plan. This strategy aims to further enhance inclusion and accessibility for employees, customers, and community members – particularly those living with disability, managing a long-term health condition, balancing caring responsibilities, or older adults with mobility or sensory impairments.
Grazia Pecoraro:
I’ve been working with Moose Toys, an Australian business success story, since 2021. To amplify their continued strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, we’ve focused this year on ‘equity’ – building the global team’s understanding of recognising the need to treat people differently, based on individual needs and systemic inequities. Co-hosting ‘All Welcome Day’ sessions with their DEI workstream volunteers across Australia, China, Vietnam, the US and the UK was a great opportunity to engage team members at this fun and innovative company.
Anna Carter:
A memorable engagement for me this year has been working with a rail organisation to develop their first diversity and inclusion roadmap. This is so important because there’s a strong link between inclusive cultures and workplace safety. A highlight was working alongside Aboriginal Cultural Impact Agency, YarnnUp, who proposed strategies to strengthen representation and cultural safety of First Nations people.
Kristy Macfarlane:
Education is a strategic priority of the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan for the iconic department store David Jones. I’ve loved working with their Store Managers and Allyship Network (the David Jones employee resource group) to build awareness on creating a positive inclusive in-store experience. We’ve also provided education to senior leadership teams to strengthen their capability to lead diverse teams and design products and services that reflect their diverse customers who shop in-store and online.
Vanessa Paterson:
I’ve enjoyed providing detailed analysis on gender equality data as I collaborate with Kristy Macfarlane to support Vicinity Centres as the company develops a new diversity and inclusion strategy. Vicinity manages Australian retail assets and recognises the value of attracting and retaining a diverse workforce as well as inclusive customer experiences.
Greta Johnson:
As a Gen Z professional, I’ve noticed many young men unsure of their place in conversations about diversity and inclusion, sometimes avoiding them for fear of saying the wrong thing. That’s why I valued the opportunity to co-design workshops for men who work in Australia’s rail industry. The highlight was witnessing how engaged the participants became when given the space to explore these topics beyond corporate buzzwords and relate them to their own experiences at work. It showed me the power of creating environments where people feel safe to ask questions, reflect and grow.
