News & Views

As previously reported by HR Leader, new regulations will require employers with 100 or more employees to disclose gender pay gap data, which will then be published by WGEA. These regulations were launched on 27 February 2024. 

WGEA has revealed that every industry has a median gender pay gap in favour of men. WGEA believes that this really is a significant step forward in our understanding about gender equality in Australian workplaces.

See HR Leader's article about the changes HERE

In a recent article from GreenBiz, CSO's from three major businesses talk about who to do and what to avoid when trying to embed sustainability into an organisation's DNA.

As with any change process, it's about learning what the existing organisational process and structures are, explaining what sustainability is, getting leadership and stakeholder buy-in (even from the 'non-believers') and understanding your material issues.

See the article HERE.

 Volunteering Australia released their updated  National Standards for Volunteer Involvement (National Standards), which are a best practice framework to guide volunteer involvement, on February 22 this year.

These are an essential resource for all organisations and groups that engage volunteers and can be used flexibly, recognising that volunteering takes place in highly diverse settings and ways.

The National Standards  have been refreshed to ensure they are contemporary and inclusive of the diversity of volunteering and volunteers and were informed by a sector wide consultation process conducted across each state and territory in 2023. The project was funded via the Australian Government’s Volunteer Management Activity.

See Volunteering Australia's homepage for the Standards HERE

Despite the themes of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) emerging in the 1960's, some organisations still take the view that DEI is discriminatory in its own right. 

Clearly, however, the results speak for themselves when DEI strategies are simplified and employed correctly.

Read this excellent analysis from HR leader HERE.

More and more companies are not speaking up about their sustainability initiatives for fear of exposing failures, or being afraid of 'not doing enough'

This is discussed in this article from Sustainable Brands.

In the wake of governments cracking down on greenwashing, and facing the reputational risk involved, organisations are becoming more cautious. To avoid risks of greenwashing under increased scrutiny, it is necessary to be able to back up your claims with evidence — and as this can be difficult without the right data and tracking in place, it becomes easier and safer to communicate less.

A new collaborative study from climate risk analysis firm EMMI, UNSW Sydney, Griffith University and the University of Otago has found that reported emissions from over 1200 companies, under-estimates their scope-3 emissions by 44 percent.

Scope 3 emissions account for the highest proportion of total emissions, however it’s the least likely scope to be reported on because companies typically focus on emission categories that don’t generate huge amounts of emissions, like business travel, while avoiding the carbon emissions involved in carbon intensive categories like 'product use'. Read the article from the UNSW Newsroom HERE.

Sustainable Business Council members KPMG New Zealand and Kantar have released an insightful reporting looking at the sustainability transformation landscape in Aotearoa New Zealand, featuring thoughts from leading sustainability professionals around the impetus for change, barriers, drivers, opportunities, and how the consulting industry can best support their goals.

One of the conclusions in the report finds that businesses view sustainability opportunities and challenges through the lens of broader business transformation. See the report HERE

Under the Public Works and Procurement Act 1912 (NSW), government agencies must take reasonable steps to ensure that goods and services procured by and for the agency are not the product of modern slavery within the meaning of the Modern Slavery Act 2018 (NSW) and must report on these steps and related matters.

The NSW Anti-slavery Commissioner has issued some guidance on reasonable steps to remedy modern slavery, effective from 1 January 2024.

The guidance is issued under the Commissioner's statutory monitoring, consultation, public awareness and advice functions. It includes a suite of new resources to help government agencies manage modern slavery risk in their operations and supply chains. See more HERE

The UN Global Compact Network Australia will launch their 2024 Program via a webinar on March 5.

Go to their website HERE to register in time to attend, or at least get the recordings.

Hear from Executive Director Kate Dundas, and The UN Global Compact team including:

• Greta Korthaus, Stakeholder Engagement Manager
• Dan Wilcock, Sustainability and Governance Manager
• Chris Caskey, Human Rights Manager
• Dr Evan Center, Environment and Climate Change Manager.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions and gain access to early announcements of important event dates for this year.

Can’t attend the webinar? Register anyway to receive the recording and presentation.

In a story from Lawyers Weekly, national law firm McCabes Lawyers has launched a new initiative and internship program to support and encourage Indigenous youth into a legal career.

McCabes say this is a "step in the right direction" and aim to provide a supportive environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students within the legal industry. Read the Lawyers Weekly article HERE