GENDER EQUITY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

The Centre is committed to creating a positive, inclusive, fair and equitable working environment for all members

We foster a culture where:

ƒ The leadership team leads by example and encompasses Equity and Diversity

ƒ We collectively create a safe environment, free from harassment, bullying and bias

ƒ All opinions are heard without prejudice or retribution and Centre employees feel respected, valued and included

ƒ We encourage work-life balance and a family friendly atmosphere

ƒ We support and include everyone

ƒ We implement education programs on Gender Equality Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) for Centre members

2022 was a year in which GEDI activities really gained momentum, allowing us to lay a solid foundation for our work in 2023 and beyond.

In the early part of the year we formed the GEDI Committee through expressions of interest. It was inspiring to see that the topic resonated with people throughout the Centre, and our resulting committee of 9 members ably represent the diversity of cultures, ages, roles and genders within our Centre. This was an important milestone contributing to Objective 2 of the Centre’s strategic plan.

In a consultative approach, we used open-ended questions within the 2022 Equity & Diversity survey to canvas the whole Centre membership on areas of priority related to GEDI. 51 of 117 members responded (44%) and we were able to define four resulting areas of, Fairness & Respect, Valued & Belonging, Safe & Open, and Empowered & Growing as a framework for developing a more detailed GEDI plan, that also includes specific actions suggested by the members, and others developed by the committee (in alignment with Objective 2 of the Centre’s strategic plan).

In the latter part of the year the GEDI committee worked on reviewing and finalising the detailed GEDI plan and identifying three actions (two chosen by the committee and one voted on by the Centre membership) as our priorities for 2022-2023. These were implementing training on language, equity & biases, establishing a mechanism for sharing & celebrating non-work achievements, and developing training, policies and support around bullying and harassment.

The GEDI committee meets on average monthly, and continuously strives to ensure Centre culture and values are embedded within the Centre operations and culture through policy, training programs and other activities as defined by our GEDI Strategic Plan. In terms of specific outcomes and achievements during 2022, the GEDI Committee:

ƒ Developed and ran a morning-long training session on inclusivity at the Annual Conference

ƒ Established a number of mechanisms for sharing and celebrating non-work achievements, including establishing a MS Teams channel, developing a series of activities for the Annual Conference, and initiating a social media campaign to encourage Centre members to get to know each other better

ƒ Continued to roll out a calendar of social media content in recognition of dates of significance for different cultures within our Centre membership

ƒ Began the process of engaging a GEDI consultant to assist with development of procedures and training around topics like unconscious bias, bullying and harassment, and flexible working.

Dr Ellen Moon Leader,

Comments on GEDI at conference

ƒ The Centre assists ECRs by promoting research, fostering personal and professional growth and providing exposure to diverse backgrounds and fields.

ƒ GEDI activities/presentations, Zoom photobooth, First Nations Welcome

ƒ The community feeling and sense of belonging in the larger group

ƒ Physical presence, diversity of content, cultures and people

ƒ The focus on diversity and inclusion www.bunyadesigns.com.au who welcomed involvement, and guided team member engagement to create the artworks (as pictured)

Centre social media elevates COEMinerals’ culture and celebrates GEDI values and milestone moments