Five major Australian organisations will join – a groundbreaking program designed to help break barriers for culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) women in the workplace.
The RISE project (Realise. Inspire. Support. Energise.) aims to help CARM women progress to leadership positions after a landmark identified intersectional barriers were locking them out of these positions.
Diversity Council Australia (DCA), in partnership with Settlement Services International (SSI) and Chief Executive Women (CEW), launched phase one of the RISE project in January 2024 and has begun onboarding a new lineup of participants.
The newly announced participating organisations come from a diverse range of sectors including hospitality, telecommunications, professional services, social justice advocacy, community services and spiritual care. They include:
- Accenture
- Gilbert + Tobin
- HCF
- Telstra, and
- Uniting NSW.ACT
Phase one participants will use an Australian-first self-audit tool to assess their organisation’s racial literacy which will inform a tailored 12-month action plan for each organisation, including built-in training from DCA and SSI on anti-racism and cultural responsiveness respectively.
Each organisation has put forward up to 20 CARM women working in their organisation to benefit from an individualised career support plan and leadership program opportunities, including CEW’s Leaders Program.
“DCA commends these organisations for their involvement in the RISE project,” said DCA CEO Lisa Annese.
“By taking the lead, they not only elevate their own standards, but also illuminate a pathway for broader organisational learning in dismantling systemic barriers, paving the way for a more inclusive and equitable leadership landscape across Australia.”
The RISE Project’s pilot organisations were in October 2023, including Arup and University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Phase one will see a further five organisations onboarded in March.
