Our priorities
We are committed to promoting gender equality and addressing gender inequality to foster an inclusive and equitable workplace.
Our approach targets multiple areas of change across 5 priority areas, to address the issues identified through our audit and engagement process:
- Inclusive workforce participation
- Equitable career opportunities
- Safe and respectful workplaces
- Flexibility and support
- Advancing gender equality through our work.
Our plan builds on the department’s inaugural Gender Equity Action Plan 2022–2025 which focused on improving gender equality within our workforce, and our achievements have provided a strong foundation for further work. In this plan, we aim to broaden our focus by enhancing our capability and capacity to address the gendered impacts of the policies, programs and services we use to support primary industries and regional economies in NSW.
Our approach
Our plan has been developed in accordance with guidelines developed by Women NSW.
It is based on analysis of qualitative and quantitative data from policies, programs, services and functions; and workplace gender audits and insights gained from employee engagement.
We developed our plan with a strong focus on gathering diverse, intersectional perspectives across all genders. We did this by engaging with our employees through multiple channels, including surveys, focus groups and a departmental working group comprised of employees from across the different business groups at all levels. Through this process, we identified opportunities to incorporate a gender lens into the work of all groups.
Our approach aligns with our broader diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies to optimise resources and drive meaningful change. By considering the different ways people experience gender and other aspects of identity, we aim to support fairness and inclusion across all our action plans, enhancing their effectiveness and contributing to an inclusive culture.
Implementation and reporting
The implementation and progress of our plan will be supported by:
- an implementation framework
- a delivery group with action leads driving its effective execution
- collaboration across all employee networks to increase awareness of the intersection between gender and other diversity groups
- senior leaders playing a key role in cascading messaging
- the Chief Operating Officer (GEAP Executive Sponsor)and Chief People Officer monitoring and maintaining resourcing levels to support successful delivery.
The success of our plan will be assessed using both qualitative and quantitative measures, including:
- collecting data from employees throughout the duration of our plan
- setting clear actions and key measures for each priority area to ensure progress can be tracked and actions successfully completed
- analysing workforce data to identify trends and areas for improvement
- sharing annual progress with employees to reinforce the department’s commitment to gender equality
- annual monitoring and report on progress to Women NSW
- an evaluation in the final year of our plan to understand its impact and
inform strategies and measures for the next action plan.
Inclusive workforce participation
Outcome: All employees experience equal workforce participation, achieved by addressing factors that contribute to gender inequalities and promoting diverse leadership, and a sense of belonging, and the workforce reflects the diversity of the communities we serve.
| Action | Lead |
| Maintain the 45:45:10 gender equality target for senior leadership roles and report on progress. | Senior Executive Hiring Managers |
| Develop and implement sponsorship and mentoring strategies to support the representation of women from diverse backgrounds across all levels. | People Division |
| Conduct gender-based audits and analyse the factors driving gender inequalities. | Finance, Property, Procurement and Fleet Division |
| Participate and support the Women NSW job share project, and promote job sharing, for all genders across the department. | People Division |
| Explore gender equality data gaps to inform development of a data improvement plan, including sector wide recommendations. | Finance, Property, Procurement and Fleet Division |
Key measures used to track progress
- Increased number of women in senior executive roles, in line with 45:45:10 target
- Promotion of job share opportunities across the department
- Data improvements implemented to enable reporting on intersectional gender representation across our workforce
- Mentoring strategy implemented to support the leadership of women from diverse backgrounds.
Equitable career opportunities
Outcome: All employees are empowered to progress their careers, including through recruitment, selection and development opportunities, increasing diverse representation.
Safe and respectful workplace
Outcome: All employees feel safe at work and understand what constitutes safe, respectful and inclusive conduct, and their role in workplace sexual harassment prevention and response.
Flexibility and support
Outcome: All employees have equitable and inclusive leave and flexible work options to support work–life balance, caring responsibilities and wellbeing.
| Action | Lead |
| Continue to participate in the Family Inclusive Workplace certification and the Carers + Employers accreditation schemes, and promote the policies and practices highlighted. | People Division |
| Conduct a gender impact assessment of existing flexible working resources to identify and address unintended gender disparities, while promoting supportive resources for people leaders managing flexible work arrangements. | People Division |
| Actively share stories that highlight employees of all genders and levels working flexibly across various arrangements, fostering inclusivity and engagement. | Strategy, Media, and Ministerial Services |
Key measures used to track progress
- Increased uptake of flexible work arrangements, part-time work and parental leave by men
- Increased satisfaction with ability to access and use flexible work arrangements,
disaggregated by gender and other diversity groups - Increased the number of employees accessing family and carers’ resources.
Advancing gender equality through our work
Outcome: All employees apply a gender lens to –and actively promote –gender equality in policies, programs and services in the workplace and the communities we serve.