Swinburne Gender Equality Action Plan
Gender Equality Action Plan 2022 – 2025
Swinburne University of Technology launched our Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) in July 2022 – cementing the university’s commitment to continuously improving its gender equity efforts.
The GEAP contains enterprise-wide gender equity strategies for all staff and provides focused actions to improve gender equity throughout all the university’s operations.
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“We know that gender equality and the freedom for all to pursue opportunities unhindered by prejudice is critically important for a successful workplace, society and economy”
Professor Pascale Quester , Vice Chancellor and President
Committed to embedding gender equity across Swinburne
At its heart, our GEAP steps out our commitment to transform the way we currently do things, as we work to embed gender equity in people processes and decision-making and across Swinburne.
Swinburne’s GEAP includes results of a workplace gender audit and strategies and initiatives for achieving gender equality for all our employees at Swinburne from 2022 to 2025.
Swinburne’s GEAP was developed after an extensive consultation and engagement process with staff, facilitated by independent expertise from GenderWorks Australia, the Jumbunna Institute and the Australian Network on Disability.
Who is responsible for the GEAP?
We recognise that in order to make structural and cultural change gender equity is a collective responsibility. Our gender equity work and GEAP implementation is driven by four levels of accountability: Swinburne Council, senior leaders, people leaders and staff are all responsible for driving the actions outlined in the five-year GEAP.
These four cohorts are empowered by a comprehensive implementation plan, a sound governance structure, and a commitment to enhance systems, policies, processes and practises.
| Group | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Council | Provide overall leadership for gender equity strategies, monitoring results and holding Swinburne senior leaders to account for the completion of actions to support the creation of an equitable, inclusive and safe culture |
| Senior leaders | Driving change by actively championing and enabling gender equity interventions, building engagement, visibly communicating commitments, accountabilities and expectations, embedding gender targets and creating an equitable, inclusive and safe culture |
| People leaders | Implementing and operationalising gender equity interventions and targets, communicating, commitments and responsibilities to work groups and creating an equitable, inclusive and safe culture. |
| Staff | Actively contributing to implementing gender equity interventions and creating an equitable, inclusive and safe culture. |
Maximising our gender equity efforts and supporting all genders
Our commitment to gender equity is inclusive of all genders. Our GEAP contains enterprise wide strategies that will progress gender equity for all genders across all our workforce.
In addition, our GEAP is aligned with our Science Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) 2022 – 2025 Plan. Our SAGE plan focuses on gender equity in Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM).
Both plans are designed to work together to improve equity, diversity and inclusion at Swinburne for everyone.
GEAP priorities and timeframes
Our GEAP has been structured over four years to build capability and capacity in our workforce to drive gender equity outcomes.
Actions contained in our GEAP are designed to meet the 7 Workplace Gender Audit Indicators under the Act which are: Gender composition of workforce; Gender composition of the governing body; Equal Remuneration; Sexual Harassment; Recruitment and Promotion; Leave and Flexibility; and Gender segregation of the workforce.
Further information on the indicators are detailed in our GEAP.
- Governance and accountability established and implementation plan initiated, with clear accountabilities supported by organisational wide engagement and communication plans.
- Diversity Dashboard report designed and implemented to inform decision making.
- Gender equity and diversity targets embedded and cascaded in all portfolio planning, programs and processes.
- GEAP and SAGE plans aligned and coordinated to optimise gender equity efforts.
- Flexible and hybrid ways of working, sexual harassment and family violence prevention work progressed.
- Indigenous cultural load is recognised and acknowledged.Identify successful interventions and opportunities to further enhance, expand and embed gender equity
- Celebrate progress and successes.
- Review of data roadmap and change programs to ensure continuous improvements to data and reporting.
- Audit GEAP strategies, review meeting success measures and identify impacts.
- Intersectional data roadmap developed.
- Tracking, measuring and reporting in progress against targets and actions.
- Senior leaders and managers consistently consider gender equality in decision making.
- Staff demonstrate understanding of and trust in complaints and reporting processes.
- Data change program implemented.
- Intersectionality embedded in recruitment and promotions processes.
- Recruitment, leadership and career development and advancement programs target priority diversity groups.
- Identify successful interventions and opportunities to further enhance, expand and embed gender equity.
- Celebrate progress and successes.
- Review of data roadmap and change programs to ensure continuous improvements to data and reporting.
- Audit GEAP strategies, review meeting success measures and identify impacts.
GEAP progress report
Learn about the progress we've made so far toward Swinburne's gender equality indicators.
Download the action plan
Gender Equality Action Plan 2022 – 2025
Are you a Swinburne staff member and want to get involved?
You can find more information for staff on the Gender Equality Action Plan wiki.
Keep on exploring
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Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Framework
Our framework aims to enable and improve access to employment and education for our Swinburne community.
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SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity) at Swinburne
Swinburne is enhancing gender equity and diversity, with a focus on science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine (STEMM). -
Reconciliation Action Plan
Swinburne’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) builds on our long standing commitment, over two decades, to the education and training of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities.
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SWAN (Swinburne Women's Academic Network)
SWAN aims to assist women at any stage of their academic career to develop their leadership capacity and provide support for those wishing to progress their career.
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Preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment
Swinburne commits to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive environment to all students, staff and visitors.
Contact us
If you have any feedback or questions about our gender equity and diversity approach, please email us at inclusion@swinburne.edu.au.