Reflecting on Progress: The Ongoing Journey Towards Gender Equality

As International Women’s Day draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the progress we've made and the many reasons we have to celebrate. Yet, I'm also reminded that our journey towards gender equality is far from over.

In 1990, I began my Bachelor of Business in Human Resource Management. I vividly recall our first-year focus on harassment and discrimination. With the naivety of youth, we thought sexual harassment in the workplace was a thing of the past, and as future HR professionals, we would have the legislative tools to manage any such behaviour effectively.

Fast forward 35 years, and the reality is starkly different. Workplace discrimination and inequalities persist, sexual harassment remains pervasive, and women continue to face stereotypes that undermine their abilities and limit their opportunities for growth.

Gender equality is not only the right thing to do but also makes good business sense. It ensures that all people, regardless of gender, can reach their potential. It's a fundamental principle of fairness and justice.

So why are world leaders and global organisations stepping away from their diversity and inclusion commitments?

In an age where we have access to vast amounts of information and evidence-based research, it's disheartening to watch the news, hear societal rhetoric, and see what is unfolding.

In a world where opinions can be shared widely, I focus on the facts.

• In 2020, the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) published a groundbreaking study demonstrating that profitability, performance, and productivity increase under female leadership. Gender equality makes good business sense.
• Sexual harassment occurs throughout our society. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) data proves its existence and the damage it causes to individuals and business culture. The National Association of Women in Construction reports that 88% of women in the construction industry have experienced microaggressions at work. Leaders must acknowledge this happens, listen to women's experiences, model strong behaviours and lead loudly around change.
• People who feel safe at work perform better. This is why Australia has implemented legislation to manage psychosocial hazards. We are all responsible for preventing harm from these hazards, ensuring people feel physically and psychologically safe at work.

The business case for gender equality is clear and based on these facts.

At Laing O’Rourke we support gender equality because our workplaces and our broader economy need it. We believe in the power of diversity and our shareholders do too. But change doesn't happen overnight.

At Laing O’Rourke, we've spent more than ten years implementing policies and interventions to attract, sponsor and retain women. Our latest Gender Equality Action Plan, released in 2024, focuses on recruitment, retention, and promotion of women.

We are committed to reducing our gender pay gap each year, have an industry-leading equal parental leave policy, mentor and sponsor emerging female leaders, and focus on appointing and retaining women in senior operational roles responsible for project delivery.

These policies and practices hold our Australian Executive Committee and senior leaders accountable and have fundamentally changed how we talk about gender equality, families, and careers.

Our efforts have been recognised with the WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality Citation in 2020, 2022, and 2024. We've seen sustainable shifts in numbers, with 34% female representation across all staff roles in Australia, more than double the industry average, and 45% female representation on our Australian Executive Committee.

Diversity and Inclusion programmes give a voice to the less powerful. I can see these outcomes every day as we all acknowledge and celebrate women who have risen through adversity to become powerful voices for their communities, professions or families. We've come a long way, and this has taken courage and investment and a focus on facts, but there is still much work to be done. Will you join us?