When the Astronomer CEO and Chief People Officer appeared on a kiss-cam at a Coldplay concert, their relationship became a viral scandal—and their jobs vanished almost instantly. At Nestlé, a CEO was forced out after someone used the Speak Up tool to report an undisclosed relationship with a subordinate.

Creating a workplace where people feel safe, heard and respected doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built through deliberate systems, leadership, and culture. And one of the most critical ( yet underused)  tools in that process is anonymous reporting.

The Australian Human Rights Commission is stepping up enforcement of the positive duty under the Sex Discrimination Act. It’s a clear message to employers: the era of reactive responses is over. It’s time to act—proactively and meaningfully.

The NSW Government’s 2024 Women in Construction report reveals systemic issues of gender inequality in the construction industry, with 32% of workers experiencing discrimination and 22% facing harassment. In this environment, anonymous reporting as a critical tool for empowering workers to safely address these challenges and fostering meaningful cultural change.

The Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) recently released critical findings on employer initiatives addressing workplace sexual harassment in Australia. This marks the first detailed look into how organisations are acting on their positive duty to create a safe, harassment-free workplace.

While shocking, the recent stories of sexual harassment and assault in Swillhouse Group venues will be all too familiar to anyone who has worked in hospitality. These workplaces are often rife with sexual harassment and discrimination. Understanding the industry challenges that contribute to these problems is crucial to developing methods of addressing them and creating safer workplaces in hospitality.

Respect@Work workshops, are they worth the investment? The answer is a resounding yes, and here’s why...

How everyday sexism undermines and undercuts women’s achievements

This week, women have been making gains from medal podiums to world politics. Even so, everyday sexism is always here to put us back in our place.

A new report from Victoria University and the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria demonstrates that people face similar barriers to reporting racism as they do reporting workplace sexual harassment.

Despite increased awareness, greater regulation, and a sharper organisational focus on preventing harmful behaviours, most workers still hesitate to report issues like sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination.

The factors that drive sexual harassment in retail may be complex and many but, as ANROWS’ report reveals, actions to improve the industry are clear, research based, and desperately needed.

Refugee and migrant women face higher risks of workplace sexual harassment, their voices must be centred when designing and implementing preventative measures by businesses and organisations. Find out what businesses can do.

What’s happening in media in Australia?

From a shocking gender pay gap (71% in the upper pay quartile) to 75% of women experiencing sexual harassment, it’s no wonder so many women in media are dissatisfied with their career (57%). Read on to find out more in this week’s blog, breaking down the ‘Women in Media 2024 report’.