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Your role in the case for change

We all have a role to play in building awareness and capability of the gender diversity case for change — it is up to all of us to make it happen.

There are 5 key elements to successfully driving the gender diversity case for change:

1. Building awareness of the gender diversity challenge you are trying to address, what is changing and what it means for people within your organisation.
2. Generating a desire to change by demonstrating the benefits that increased gender diversity will bring to the organisation.
3. Creating alignment and common understanding amongst leadership and the broader organisation about what is changing and why.
4. Developing a sense of urgency for the change by outlining the risks of not acting now.
5. Reinforcing the need for change through consistent and regular communication from your leaders and the board.

Utilise your case for change

• Using the case for change template you have completed for your organisation, identify and address the changes that you will need to make as an organisation and the associated change impacts.
• For example, if your organisation has identified a gap in awareness, visible and regular communications on the gender diversity case for change can assist with increasing awareness.

Gender diversity champions

• Consider allocating a board champion to drive gender diversity –similar to allocating roles for a treasurer or secretary on the board or committee, but expect all members to understand the organisation’s gender diversity case for change in order to deliver on it.

Publicly communicate your commitment

Demonstrate your organisation’s clear public commitment to gender diversity to your stakeholders, sponsors and the general public.

For example, share your case for change and actions to achieve progress in gender diversity, ensure a gender diverse representation is present on your organisation’s website and promote roles across diverse public forums.

Commit the required resources

Allocate the budget required to execute the changes, for example to provide capability workshops or release marketing campaigns.

What you should do

• Identify and address the changes that you will need to make as an organisation and the associated change impacts.
• Allocate a board champion in relation to gender diversity to drive the change
• Demonstrate your organisation’s clear public commitment to gender diversity
• Allocate the budget required to execute the changes