Equity & Diversity Annual Report – 2001 Objectives of the Program & Selection of Indicators

Merit is the key principle in staffing decisions.

The Bank announced its formal commitment to equal employment opportunity in May 1984 and since then has implemented six plans to progressively achieve the objectives of its EEO Program. The Program is intended to encourage good personnel management practices for all staff, while meeting legal obligations for the designated EEO groups. The Bank is committed to equality of opportunity for all its employees. It seeks to ensure that there are no policies or practices that discriminate unlawfully against staff, in particular the designated EEO groups. Recruiting and retaining the best people, capitalising on the diverse skills of employees, and adapting work practices to help employees accommodate work and family needs are key goals in maximising the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation.

A range of indicators has been selected to monitor the progress of EEO groups in the Bank. These include salary ranges, salary classification levels, occupational groups, and staff movements (recruitment, promotions, transfers and resignations). Data is also maintained on retention rates following parental leave, participation in training and development, educational qualifications of staff generally and the provision of study assistance.

The Plan had the same objectives as the 1997–2000 Plan, but incorporated new strategies to achieve these objectives.

As part of its Equal Employment Opportunity Program, the Bank implemented a new EEO Plan for the period July 2000 to June 2001. It recognised the diversity of the Bank's staff and sought to accommodate that diversity where possible within broader Bank objectives. It set out a series of goals under the following objectives: staff selection, career development & staff training, and conditions of employment. These are presented in Appendix 1.

In developing a new plan for 2001–2004 the Bank is considering adopting terminology reflective of changing trends in community thinking. The new plan would incorporate ‘diversity management’ as a core principle. Workplace diversity builds on and broadens the principles of EEO by recognising the positive contribution that diverse skills, talents and perspectives can make to the workplace. EEO policies address continued disadvantage experienced by particular groups of people in the workplace, including women, Indigenous Australians, people with disabilities and those who suffer disadvantage on the basis of race or ethnicity. These policies remain an important foundation for workplace diversity policy.

Diversity covers gender, age, language, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, religious belief, and family responsibilities. Diversity also refers to the other ways in which people are different, such as educational level, life experience, work experience, socio-economic background, personality and marital status.