Not easy to score AWEI points as ABC gay pride support falls flat

ABC managing director David Anderson has worked hard, including dancing on a Mardi Gras parade float, in an effort to win the corporation points on ACON’s equality index.

When ABC’s managing director David Anderson decided to dance on a float in the Mardi Gras parade, executives probably thought it would win the corporation a much-desired two points on ACON’s equality index – which marks organisations on how “inclusive” they are.

However, on this occasion, despite attending a high profile LGBTQ event, ACON’s markers did not award the points because there was no evidence he had spoken at any LGBTQ events.

The Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) has a list of categories and instructions on how to score maximum points. Some of the categories including positively promoting LGBTQ issues and getting the CEO to speak about being inclusive.

ABC managing director David Anderson (left) at the Mardi Gras in 2020. Picture: Twitter

There are achievement levels for high performers from platinum, gold, silver and bronze.

In 2021, the ABC achieved gold status with 177 points out of a maximum of 200, here’s how:

*Four points for its “all gender toilets” policy.

*Three points for its program First Day, about a trans child starting high school.

*One point for ABC Kids program recognising awareness of Wear it Purple Day, which is a LGBTQ youth charity that features images of a young woman with a mastectomy on its website.

*Two points for Mr Anderson defending ABC’s support of “transition leave” at a Senate Estimates meeting.

ABC’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras glitter logo 2022. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, the ABCQueer Instagram account, which has made statements such as “some men have periods”, “some women have penises” and “queerness in nature can be found everywhere”, also won AWEI’s “external media campaign” award in 2020, and in 2021 it won the same award for its Innies + Outies podcast about queer identity and experiences.

AWEI 2022 LIST

Employer of the Year

Capgemini Australia

Platinum Employers (Long Term Gold Employers):

Accenture

EY Oceania

Clayton Utz

PwC

RMIT University

Platinum Projects

AGL Energy

Australian Taxation Office

Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Woolworths Group

Platinum Qualifiers for 2020

Capgemini Australia

Deloitte Australia

NAB

QBE Insurance

Gold Employers

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

Capgemini Australia

Coles

Deloitte Australia

Queensland Department of Education

Fujitsu Australia

IBM Australia

KPMG

Macquarie University

MinterEllison

NAB

nbn co

Origin Energy

QBE Insurance

Salesforce

Services Australia

SBS

The Star Entertainment Group

University of New South Wales

University of Queensland

University of Sydney

Silver Employers

Alcoa of Australia

Allianz

American Express Australia

CSIRO

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Department of Education & Training Victoria

Australian Government Department of Health

DLA Piper Australia

EnergyAustralia

Grant Thornton Australia

Griffith University

JP Morgan

Monash University

Norton Rose Fulbright

Scentre Group

Stockland

Telstra

Victoria University

Zurich Financial Services Australia

Bronze Employers

Allens

Amazon

Ampol

Arup

Ashurst

Aurecon

Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)

BHP

Bupa

Charles Sturt University

Charter Hall

Datacom

Australian Government Department Home Affairs and the Australian Border Force

Australian Government Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet

Australian Government Department of Social Services

Dexus Holdings

Domain Group

Edith Cowan University

Energy Queensland

Hollard Insurance

IAG

Jacobs Australia

John Holland

Lendlease

Life Without Barriers

Maddocks

Mercer Australia

NRMA

NSW Police Force

QIC

SAP Australia

Settlement Services International

Shell

TPG Telecom

Treasury Wine Estates

University of Melbourne

University of Western Australia

University of Wollongong

Westpac Banking Corporation

Most Improved Employer

NRMA (152% improvement)

Small Employer of the Year

Boston Consulting Group

Small Employer Gold

Boston Consulting Group

Colin Biggers & Paisley Lawyers

The GPT Group

Russell Kennedy Lawyers

Deutsche Bank, Australia

Small Employer Silver

McCullough Robertson Lawyers

Clifford Chance

Small Employer Bronze

Liberty Financial Group

Gilead Sciences

Oliver Wyman

Initiative Media

American Express Global Business Travel

The Northern Trust

Allen & Overy

Most Improved Small Employer

Investa Property Group (115% Improvement)

Individual Awards Categories – Winners

CEO of the Year

David Anderson – Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

NSW Assistant Commissioner Gelina Talbot. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Bianca De Marchi

Executive Leadership

Assistant Commissioner Gelina Talbot – NSW Police Force

External Media Campaign

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) – ABC Innies + Outies podcast

Network Leader of the Year

Benjamin Vella – Stockland

Out Role Model

Kim Lee – National Australia Bank

Sally Webster Ally

Janani D’Silva – Capgemini Australia

Sapphire Inspire

Alicea Stoney – KPMG

Jenny Ratsep – EnergyAustralia

Employee Network of the Year

Pride @ KPMG

Trans/Gender Diverse Inclusion

Capgemini Australia

Originally published as Not easy to score AWEI points as ABC gay pride support falls flat