What we can all be doing to champion diversity in the workplace

By CCIQ CEO Heidi Cooper

I’m proud to be the first female CCIQ CEO in our 150 year history.?I am also very proud of the work we do at CCIQ to campion diversity in the workplace.

At CCIQ, we are passionate about diversity in the workplace and our business is built on diversity. We have a diverse Board, diverse leaders, a diverse team and we are very proud of our diverse membership base

Our team bring their whole selves to work and we support diversity of thinking in all we do.?It’s this diversity which allows us to deliver outcomes for our members.

Through the work we do, we know businesses that embrace diversity are more likely to be employers of choice.

Our Women in Business Report as part of CCIQ’s Small Business Social Impact Series, found despite improvements in the gender gap, there are opportunities for further equality in the workforce.

The report found small businesses rate flexible working arrangements, inadequate childcare options and parental leave costs as the most pressing issues for women in business.

The report also found flexible working arrangements were the primary lever for delivering both optimal social outcomes for women as well as economic growth for the business.

We've seen the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted greater use of flexible working arrangements, which has created more opportunity and incentive for female participation.

However, the industries women represent most prominently have also been some of the most disrupted during COVID – including health care and social assistance, education and training, and retail trade.

We've made great progress, but there are still excellent opportunities to continue to alleviate some of the largest factors impacting working women.?

So this International Womens’ Day, let’s #breakthebias and foster diversity in all of our workplaces.

Further reading:

CCIQ’s Queensland Women’s Strategy Submission

Women in Business Report 2020 (2022 update coming shortly)