On their inauguration last year, AHRI’s Diversity Awards established themselves as the ‘do-good and feel-good’ awards.

Diversity champion – CEO winner: Andrew Stevens

Andrew Stevens was appointed managing director of IBM Australia and New Zealand in January 2011, and manages a business with annual revenues of more than $4 billion.

An active member of the Sex Discrimination Commissioner’s Male Champions of Change program, Stevens has shared IBM’s work 
on diversity and inclusion and brought new thinking and innovation into IBM.

Diversity champion – human resources winner: Samantha Palmer

Samatha Palmer of the Department of Health and Ageing recently became the department’s inaugural Diversity Champion.

“It’s essential that the Australian public service reflects the population of this country. We serve every Australian, which means that we should really reflect the population we serve,” says Palmer.

Sir Ken Robinson award
 for workplace flexibility winner: Forethought Research

Forethought’s Mums Program is specifically designed to acknowledge and support the special circumstances that expectant mothers and working mums with school-age children face.

The program involves the appointment of a dedicated coordinator who regularly communicates with the firm’s mothers and managers. The coordinator also produces quarterly reports to key partners.

Age diversity in the workplace winner: Vic Roads

The panel found Vic Roads to have an unparalleled record and progress in recognising the worth of older Australians.

Commensurate with the organisation’s core values, Vic Roads has delivered exceptional service to the community in its approach to age diversity in the workplace.

Inclusive workplace of the year winner: Fair Work Ombudsman

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s functions include promoting harmonious, productive and cooperative workplace relations and ensuring compliance with Commonwealth workplace laws.

The panel were most impressed with the holistic approach to inclusion, which, supported by empirical evidence, exceeds all eight criteria.

Inclusive workplace of the year Winner: IBM Australia

The IBM diversity strategy focuses on six core areas that have been identified as fundamental to the company’s continued corporate success and growth.

Diversity and inclusion are key elements of IBM’s organisational mindset and culture. Individuals within the organisation are valued for their tenacity, skill and competence.

Disability employment joint winner: Woolworths Ltd.

The judging panel expressed its pleasure at one
 of Australia’s largest employers being honoured with an award.

With some 190,000 employees, Woolworths provides services to millions of Australians and New Zealanders. It found the organisation successfully implemented a practical approach to increasing the employment of people with a disability.

Disability employment joint winner: Calamity Monitoring

Calamity Monitoring, purveyors of advanced security monitoring, delighted the judging panel with a firm commitment to disability inclusion and employment.

The panel found that Calamity Monitoring 
has successfully and specifically targeted
 such candidates. Individuals with a disability were included seamlessly and this initiative could be successfully replicated across other SMEs with great success.

Gender equity in the workplace joint winner: Australian Astronomical Observatory

The submission focused on the Astronomy Group’s efforts towards gender balance. In 2009 there were no women on the staff; today women make up 40 per cent of the 15-strong team.

Andrew Hopkins, head of AAT science at AAO, says it’s a way to build the next generation of leaders. “The quality of female applicants has been such that we’ve been able to put on very successful women.”

LGBTI inclusion winner: Westpac Group

The judging panel saw an avid commitment to a workplace that is harmonious and respectful, and one that greatly values diversity and inclusion.

A diverse and flexible strategy was adopted with a focus on promoting LGBTI togetherness, both internally and externally.

Gender equity in the workplace joint winner: Westpac Group

The Westpac Group has set an ambitious target to increase the percentage of females in leadership roles to 40 per cent by 2014. Jane Counsel, head of diversity and flexibility, says meeting the target has gone some way to reflecting the bank’s workforce and customer base.

Indigenous employment winner: General Motors Holden

To better represent the local community, Holden crafted and implemented a culturally inclusive and responsive Indigenous Apprentice Program throughout its operations in Australia.

This initiative was recognised as an immensely positive step in fostering closer ties with indigenous Australia. The successful program impressed the judges and the panel noted the seamless implementation of an important and comprehensive program that met both community and corporate needs.

Cross cultural management winner: Assetlink

Across a broad swathe of sectors, Assetlink has anchored itself to a core commitment of cross-cultural diversity. The judging panel was particularly impressed with Assetlink’s methodology and approach to diversity in the workplace.

AHRI R U OK? Day workplace award winner: Ambulance Service of NSW

The panel found the Ambulance Service of NSW had implemented a well-planned and comprehensive approach
to their activities. The judges were particularly impressed with employee engagement and a long-term focus on healthy workplace messages and constant support services.