Events
Our forums, seminars/ webinars, presentations, workshops or other events are held at least 6 times per year generously hosted by our members (e.g., Deloitte) or online via Zoom. We attempt to publish the schedule on our website at the beginning of each year allowing members to plan attendance ahead of time. Current members receive an email invite approx. 3 weeks prior to the forum. Non members are invited to attend each forum (limited spots) with a cost of $30 per person/per forum.
Our Upcoming Events
Stay tuned as the new 2023/2024 Executive Committee regroup to bring you more exciting forum events in 2023.
Forum: Examining Gen AI's Role in Advancing Diversity, Accessibility and Inclusion
A dynamic debate will be held to explore the opportunities and challenges in leveraging Generative Artificial Intelligence to elevate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Topics that will be discussed include:
How Gen AI may bridge the digital divide and provide equal opportunities for marginalized communities;
The role of Gen AI in promoting DEI by reducing bias and discrimination in decision-making processes; and
The opportunities Gen AI present in improving accessibility and inclusion in recruitment and throughout the employee lifecycle.
Forum: Shifting the DEI Dial with Data
In this forum, we will explore how we can advance the DEI journey by using diverse people data to enhance better business decisions.
Specifically, we will discuss:
How to create a data driven culture
How to maximise listening mechanisms and benchmarking data for leader buy-in
How to articulate opportunities and risks through (DEI) people data
How to enhance data literacy whilst ensuring governance and privacy
How to future proof DEI by utilising intersectional metrics & business goals
Forum: Navigating Australia’s DEI Landscape for Impact and Sustainable Change
Join us for a panel conversation and working session with two of the co-authors, Michelle Phipps FCPHR, PhD and Rhonda Brighton-Hall FCPHR. We will look at the BIG topics of:
The complexity of identity and specifically, Australian identity;
The relationship with belonging, and whether that is part of the workplace;
The impact of social movements, and what’s coming next;
Maturing the DEI agenda to meet employee and societal expectations; and
Engaging CEO's and leaders to embed DEI into how organisations are wired and run.
And, we will also talk with a DEI practitioner to bring it to life in the most practical way, and give you an opportunity to discuss with your peers.
The End of Year Event: Thinking and Doing DEI Differently
In this end of year TIC session, LFG will introduce new ways of thinking about truly embedding DEI in your organisation. Harnessing principles such as human centered design, agile and adult development etc., they will briefly explore how rethinking traditional approaches DEI can result in significant and sustainable change.
This session will be thought provoking and hopefully galvanise your efforts for incremental but impactful DEI change in 2024 and beyond.
TIC Forum: Accessibility in Action
In this forum, we will explore the new accessibility landscape post Disability Royal Commission and the 'Working Futures; the Australian Government's White Paper on Jobs and Opportunities.
We will also learn about the impact and implications of this new landscape on the 5 R's (recruitment, retention, rights, regulation and risk) for employers.
TIC Forum: Menopause Friendly Workplaces
Guest Speakers:
Grace Molloy, Founder and CEO, Menopause Friendly Australia
Reema Dubey, Managing Director, Accenture Australia
In this forum, we will learn about what Menopause is, and symptoms experienced, particularly those that may impact work. We will also learn about what organisations can do to support and retain their employees going through menopause.
Cultivating DEI Professional Wellbeing
Onsite and Online at: Atlassian, Level 6, 341 George Street
Cultivating DEI Professional Wellbeing
In this forum we will explore the unique challenges of working in DEI and the impact of the work on practitioner health and wellbeing
We will learn about positive psychology and individual habit change and how you can make changes yourself that support you and the work.
Our wonderful Guest Speakers:
Dr Suzy Green, Founder & CEO at The Positivity Institute
Duncan Young, Former Head of Workplace Health & Wellbeing at Lendlease and Principal, Duncan Young Consulting
Lisa Skovron , Director, Global Culture and Engagement at Cochlear
AGM & Guest Speaker
AGM with Guest Speaker Alison Hernandez, Advisory Board member of Family Friendly Workplaces & JAPAC Director, HSM Advisory.
LGBTQ + Inclusion
The Business of LGBTQ + Inclusion – the role of governments and corporates in achieving equality.
Social Mobility
The only way is up - or is it? Why social mobility matters in today's workplace
Refugee Employment
Refugee Employment - how inclusive hiring can help you find and retain great talent.
Showcasing Woolworths Refugee Employment Programs
Sustainability & DEI
Sustainability + diversity, equity and inclusion: achieving positive impact for people, planet and communities
AGM 2022
The Inclusion Circle AGM with Guest Speaker Mariam Veiszadeh, CEO Media Diversity Australia, Lawyer, Human Rights Advocate, Anti Racism Champion AHRC
The Inclusion Circle Launch plus Guest Speaker Juliet Bourke
Join us to celebrate our new look and feel – in partnership with Six Black Pens followed by an interactive workshop presented by Juliet Bourke, Professor of Practice, School of Management and Governance, UNSW Business School, a Non-Executive Director and workplace strategic adviser.
Flexible Work Practices: The Challenges and Opportunities
Our speakers will discuss and share their thoughts and experiences on the flexible work challenges and shed light on opportunities to embed new working frontiers.
Event & Forum Archive
Previous NEEOPA and The Inclusion Circle forums can be found below:
8 Dec 2021
Building Inclusive & Accessible Workplaces - the New Norm
In acknowledgment of International Day of People with Disability, our panel will explore a range of topics from attitudinal barriers, why employment outcomes haven’t improved in 20 years, the importance of disclosure and data capture, as well as emerging problems and opportunities the pandemic has presented for the disability community.
Our special guest panel includes:
Giancarlo de Vera MAICD, Senior Manager of Policy, People with Disability Australia (PWDA); and
Ebru Sumaktas, Senior Policy Officer, Australian Human Rights Commission.
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
7 Sept 2021
Women in Politics: the barriers to achieving gender balance and how women and men are working together to combat this
We heard from:
Amanda Webb, Board Director, Women for Election Australia on the barriers women face to getting elected - how and why they prepare women to stand for public office;
Zali Steggall OAM MP, her personal experiences and how she got elected into an “unwinnable seat”; and
Alex Greenwich MP, an Independent Member for Sydney, who champions equality and human rights.
Despite the passing of the sexual discrimination act over 35 years ago and women’s rising workforce participation rates (61% compared to men's at 71%[1]), only 18% of CEO’s are women and only 32% of Directors in ASX 200. For the first time in Australia’s history, there was equal representation between men and women parliamentarians in the Senate as of 1 January 2020[2]. However, women still comprise only three in ten federal parliamentarians in the House of Representatives. One in five (20.0%) Federal Government Ministers and 26.1% of Federal Government Cabinet Ministers were women, as of January 1, 2019[3][4].
[1] Women’s Gender Equality Agency, [2] Australian Bureau of Statistics, [3] Australian Bureau of Statistics
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
29 Jul 2021
Workplace response to Domestic and Financial Abuse
A case study exploration with Claire Dawson, Executive Manager, Community Investment from the Commonwealth Bank and Jane Threader, National Program Manager, Good Shepherd Financial Independence Hub, which explores how business can partner with the community sector to address complex social issues.
How CBA has approached the issue of domestic violence to better support its employees, customers and communities.
How business partnering with experts and the community sector can make a difference.
A list of resources: click here.
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Jun 7, 2021
Black Lives Matter
Mundanara Bayles AFHEA MAICD joined us as our keynote speaker. Mundanara is the Managing Director and co-founder of The Australian BlackCard Pty Ltd (BlackCard), which is a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated business certified with Supply Nation.
BlackCard is a specialist consultancy providing cultural capability training and consultancy services to enable people and organisations to work effectively with members of the Aboriginal community.
Mundanara shared her journey with us, what the Black Lives Matter movement looks like in the Australian context, as well as her insights on how individuals and organisations can tackle racism.
Her message is loud and clear - it’s up to every individual to be curious and become educated about the true history of Australia.
Following are some simple actions we can all take today:
If you see racism, call it out, even if it means losing friends
Use your platform to amplify the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (e.g. Check out and share the Black Magic Woman podcasts)
Check out Share our Pride for resources
Support the Raise the Age campaign
Support the Free Her campaign
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Apr 29, 2021
Addressing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Our expert panelists explored the topic of sexual harassment in the workplace and the practical ways employers can address this issue and drive cultural change and leadership to promote positive workplace cultures for women and men.
The Panel:
Kate Eastman SC - Barrister, New Chambers
Michael Jeh - Educator and Public Speaker
Shaan Ross-Smith, Director, MATE Program, Griffith Criminology Institute
Some articles of interest on the topic:
Australian Human Rights Commission - Respect@Work: Sexual Harassment National Inquiry Report (2020)
Champions of Change Coalition: Disrupting the System – Preventing and responding to sexual harassment in the workplace
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Feb 25, 2021
Women in STEM - Inspiring the next generation
DPA, NEEOPA and EEON joined forces for our premiere event of 2021.
Our three organisation are proud to collaborate together to bring our members a forum discussing women in STEM and how to tackle the prevailing barriers in creating more gender-equal industries.
In this virtual event, we present some of Australia’s thought leaders and doers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). Our expert panel explored the following themes and provide practical strategies that can be used immediately in the workplace, or in entrepreneurial endeavours:
attraction and how to inspire the next generation and end under-representation.
how we reshape the stories we share about STEM to address enduring myths
rethinking attraction to grow our pipeline, rather than ‘rob’ one another for great talent.
why women leave STEM: the challenges of under-representation and covert discriminatory practices.
practical strategies to make schools, universities and workplaces ready and more inclusive.
The Panel:
Moderated by Ruth “Rocket Women” Harrison
Taylah Griffin - Flight Test Engineer, Boeing Australia
Angela Bee Chan - CEO Hackathons International
Madhu Bhaskaran - Professor and Electronics Engineer RMIT University
Keynote by Bronwyn Evans PhD, CEO of Engineers Australia.
Nov 26, 2020
NEEOPA EOY Celebration
No one could have predicted the year that was 2020, where we were rocked by global pandemic, economic meltdowns, race protests, remote working, home schooling and lockdowns. As we wrap up 2020, we invite you to join us in celebration of the human spirit for enduring all these with grace and courage. We’ve asked four guests from all walks of life to tell us their stories – how they woke up one day in 2020 to find their jobs and their lives turned upside down and how they learned to adapt, refocus and thrive. Get ready to be inspired so you can make 2021 all you want it to be.
Hozefa Siddiqui, TAFE NSW Service Centre Manager
Jina Belnick, Teacher and Learning Team Leader
Matt Levy OAM, Paralympian Swimmer, Event Speaker, Change Analyst
Rachel Setti, Registered Organisational Psychologist, Psychotherapist, Facilitator, and Writer.
Oct 25, 2020
Driving the Inclusion agenda forward during recession
Australia is in recession. What impact will this have on diversity and inclusion in the workplace and what can D&I/HR practitioners do?
Our two wonderful speakers, Rhonda Brighton-Hall and Yasmin Poole, shared their knowledge and insights on the topic as well as delivered at least one key action that organisations/D&I practitioners can take.
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Sept 20, 2020
Disrupting the way we work: COVID-19 and workplace flexibility
2020 has seen remote working become the new normal for most organisations.
We are very excited to welcome Juliet Bourke and Troy Roderick who will discuss what impact this will have on our workplace’s overall flexibility agenda in the future.
We will explore:
What does a sustainable flexibility approach look like as we move into 2021 and beyond?
The impact the change in the way we work may have on our diverse workforces.
How does organisational culture inform the success of a dynamic flexible working approach going forward?
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Jun 25, 2020
Diversity & Inclusion during crisis and recovery
As we move out of the COVID crisis, organisations across the world are drawing from new experiences and perspectives and taking the opportunity to re-imagine ways of working and doing business. This presents opportunities for organisations to embrace and deliver on diversity and inclusion.
Our panel of D&I thought leaders will discuss the challenges and opportunities for diversity and inclusion arising out of the COVID crisis and recovery. We heard from:
Alison Woolsey: Director, Diversity & Inclusion, Clayton Utz
Edyta Torpy: Head of Diversity & Inclusion, Allianz Australia
Sarah Abbott: Head of Diversity, Leadership & Inclusion, The University of Sydney
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Jun 03, 2020
A chat with Libby Lyons WGEA
Libby Lyons, outgoing Director of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) shared her reflections and achievements during her 5 years as Director as well as her thoughts on the future progress of gender equality in Australia.
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Apr 06, 2020
Delivering Diversity through Recruitment
Our guest speakers are actively involved in the progress of diversity in recruitment across a range of industries and will discuss:
International recruitment trends on Diversity & Inclusion
Innovative talent acquisition strategies to source and match diverse talent (inc. under-utilised and under-valued talent)
How to accelerate specific D&I recruitment initiatives
How to use your recruitment partner as ambassadors of Diversity & Inclusion
This 60-minute webinar will include expert insights as well as practical strategies and resources for everyone - you don’t need to be a D&I specialist!
Our passionate guest speakers include:
Charles Cameron - CEO Recruitment Consulting and Staffinc Association Australia & New Zealand (RCSA)
Rachelle Towart OAM - CEO and Founder, Pipeline Talent
Kerry McQuillan - General Manager, Diversity & Inclusion, Randstad
Thank you to Randstad RiseSmart for hosting this online forum.
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au
Feb 19, 2020
Diversity in Thinking
An interactive workshop presented by Juliet Bourke, Partner and D&I Practice Lead, Deloitte, to explore how diversity of thinking help teams make smarter decisions and the relationship of thinking and demographic diversity.
A recording of this forum is available for members, please make a request at info@theinclusioncircle.org.au