Roll call of female friendly employers

Roll call of female friendly employers
Picture by Getty Images, Inc.
By: Kate Southam

A total of 131 companies made the strictly-controlled annual Employer of Choice for Women list this year - up from 116 organisations last year.

The Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency citation is awarded to organisations with more than 100 employees that meet the criteria.

To qualify, companies must have policies that benefit women at work such as:

  • Promotion pathways to senior management.
  • The attraction and retention of older female employees.
  • Work/life balance.
  • Family-friendly policies.

This year, two recruitment firms made the list - Hays for the fifth year in a row and Weststaff.
 
In releasing its annual list, EOWA highlighted some of "the most outstanding initiatives" currently in play in a range of organisations:

  • University of Technology Sydney - Appointed two new senior executives to achieve equal gender representation at top-level management - "a rarity in both the public and private sectors."
  • Mallesons Stephen Jacques offers "long term leave of absence" to employees who wish to develop their careers outside the firm but who want to return to continue their career.
  • The Spastic Centre of NSW provides an opportunity for staff to undertake international development assignments while on full salary.
  • Maddocks recognises that flexible work practices can be successful even at a senior level and are recruiting part-time staff to senior roles.
  • EMI Music Australia promoted, transferred or seconded 50 per cent of employees into roles that provided career-building experience.
  • Churches of Christ Homes & Community Services Inc benchmarked all their salaried positions against similar positions within the industry that in turn significantly increased remuneration for some employees.
  • American Express provides an allowance for women in their final trimester of pregnancy to cover parking costs or, where parking is free, these employees receive priority parking.


Newcomers to the 2007 list include the Catholic Education Office, Cummins Engine Company, EMI Music, Rio Tinto Aluminium and the Spastic Centre of NSW. The National Australia Bank has joined other major banks and the number of legal firms has more than doubled since last year.

Click here for the full list of EOWA Employers of Choice for Women 2007.

By Kate Southam, Editor of careerone.com.au