South Aussie’s bold female innovators, entrepreneurs praised by Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri

The future is bright in this state with women leading the way when it comes to bold innovation and entrepreneurship, says Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri.

South Australian women of all ages are leading the way when it comes to bold innovation and entrepreneurship, one of the state’s leading female voices says.

Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri says increasingly it’s women who are imagining new ways to create an income for their families, leaving no doubt that “from small things big things grow”.

“More and more women are embracing entrepreneurial pursuits and setting up small businesses … whether it be because their babies are small or whatever their situation is … to make ends meet but also to balance their lives,” she said.

Mrs Ranieri pointed to the role of emerging technologies and platforms, including social media.

“It allows people to do things from wherever they are and is making it easier for people to reconcile the things that are most important in their life … for many women, that is their children and relationships,” she said.

“New technologies have opened up the door for women to be quite innovative about how they make money … it might start out small but ends up being quite big. They are tapping into things that women need and know.”

Herself a daughter of immigrant parents, Mrs Ranieri is a proud advocate for women and equality for all, including those from different cultural backgrounds and with disabilities.

She says the lead up to next month’s International Women’s Day (IWD) provides the perfect space to reflect on the progress that has been made. The Advertiser, Sunday Mail, SkyCity Woman of the Year Awards 2023, launched this weekend with winners announced at a gala dinner on March 6, will be among key events marking IWD in South Australia.

Erma Ranieri, SA Commissioner for Public Sector Employment.

“A lot has been achieved … IWD talks about optimism and how we can create a gender equal future (from the basis) of where we have been,” she said.

“It is really important, for younger women in particular, to see it is the slow things that happen that actually make that change … we’ve a lot to celebrate.

“While it ismy view that we’re not yet at the same starting point yet when it comes to competing equally with men in the workplace, we are moving in the right direction.”

Mrs Ranieri said when she first started in the public service about 30 years ago, only 23 per cent of executives within it were women – that has swelled to 58 per cent today.

Mrs Ranieri is part of the newly formed South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce Members, due to meet for its first planning session next week.

“I’m very excited about this taskforce, we’ll be looking to do work at a state and national level … a starting point will be collecting data on the gender pay gap (so) we can start to look at why we have a pay gap in certain occupations,” she said.

However, Mrs Ranieri said the future was looking bright with South Australian women at the forefront.

“I am really excited about the next generation … we have young people entering into decision-making roles now who had a mum who worked, they saw the tears and happiness – what worked and what didn’t,” she said.

“We have a young generation that has a strong sense of purpose, they know what is important to them, they know that flexible working arrangements are for everyone … I love the flexibility that allows them to sit on the beach with their laptop and still be productive.

“This is a generation that insists on professional learning and development, not just so they get better at their jobs but from a wellbeing perspective as well.

“We are starting to look at humans more holistically and making workplaces more safe and ethical … they are just so much more conscious about what needs to happen.

“I am really excited about the future of work in this state but it will be a different future.”

The Advertiser, Sunday Mail, SkyCity Woman of the Year Awards 2023 - see the full list of the nominees across six categories on theadvertiser.com.au from 8pm Saturday.

Originally published as South Aussie’s bold female innovators, entrepreneurs praised by Commissioner for Public Sector Employment Erma Ranieri