Creating gender equality means being bold for change
We are marking today’s International Women’s Day with a new commitment to improve gender equality at Telstra by introducing a requirement that recruitment and interview shortlists include at least 50% female representation.
The change, which sets a new standard of operational rigor, is about attracting and retaining more women in our team, addressing gender imbalances and building our female talent pipeline.
We simply must work harder to create new opportunities for women to participate including accommodating diverse needs, working preferences and creating new career paths for both men and women to re-enter the workforce.
Gender equality is something Telstra has long been committed to.
Over many years and through a range of initiatives we have tried to improve the gender balance of our team which today sits at 69.4% male.
We have made good progress with gender balanced shortlists to date, which currently average 33% female representation, however we are well short of our 50% target.
While gender equality is influenced by everyone, the role of men is significant here, and this is something I strongly believe in as part of my commitment to the Male Champions of Change.
Today’s announcement adds to initiatives like All Roles Flex, our annual pay gap analysis, gender equality employee network and work to help stop violence against women.
Under the new commitment, where recruitment shortlists do not have a minimum 50% female representation (or 25% in some specified roles where there is a known significant gender imbalance in the job market) within 3 weeks of the role being advertised consideration will be given to extending the advertising period before sign-off is required to move to the interview stage.
There is no universal or easy answer to create greater gender equality in our workforce but the cumulative effect of these initiatives can make a difference.
In a very real way they also go to the heart of who we are as a company and bring together the lived experience of our diversity and inclusion policies and our determination to create change through bold ideas and actions.
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The Author
Andy Penn became the CEO and Managing Director of Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company, on 1 May 2015. At Telstra Andy is leading an ambitious change program transforming Telstra to be positioned to compete in the radically changing technology world of the future with 5G at its core. Andy has had an extensive career spanning 40 years across 3 different industries - telecommunications, financial services and shipping. He joined Telstra in 2012 as Chief Financial Officer. In 2014 he took on the additional responsibilities as Group Executive International. Prior to Telstra, Andy spent 23 years with AXA Asia Pacific Holdings, part of the AXA Group, one of the world’s largest insurance and investment groups. His time at AXA included the roles of Chief Executive Officer 2006-2011, Chief Financial Officer 2000-2002, Chief Executive Asia and Chief Executive Australia and New Zealand. At AXA, Andy was instrumental in building one of the most successful Asian businesses by an Australian company that was sold to its parent in 2011 for more than A$10bn. Outside of work Andy has a deep passion for the visual arts. He is Patron, on behalf of Telstra, of the National and Torres Straights Islanders Arts Awards (NATSIAA) and he paints in his spare time. Andy is also active in supporting community and social causes. He is Life Governor of Very Special Kids and an Ambassador for the Amy Gillet Foundation. He serves on the advisory boards of both The Big Issue Home for Homes and JDRF. In 2018 he was voted by the Financial Times number 8 in the top 50 male leaders globally in their HEREOS champions of women in leadership report.