Amazon Australia has been officially recognised as an AWEI Gold Employer for its work in promoting LGBTQ+ inclusion and initiatives in the workplace through a raft of policies and practices – for the second consecutive year.
The AWEI is the definitive national benchmark on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion and comprises the largest national employee survey designed to gauge the overall impact of inclusion initiatives on organisational culture. The Index drives best practices in Australia and sets a comparative benchmark for Australian employers across all sectors. The Index is known to be comprehensive and rigorous and is a testament to the importance of LGBTQ+ inclusion and focus on workplace initiatives and culture.
The Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) recognised Amazon Australia as an AWEI Gold Employer after a cross-business effort led by LGBTQ+ employee affinity group Glamazon, IXT, PXT and other partner teams. Glamazon in partnership with PXT/IXT and partner teams plays a pivotal role in making Amazon in Australia and New Zealand a great place to work by educating and informing employees about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and/or Queer (LGBTQ+) issues, and organizing events, meetings, and information.
“To be recognized as a Gold status employer for the second year in a row is a wonderful endorsement of all the work Glamazon does, and is also a prestigious endorsement for Amazon as one of Australia’s leading businesses in terms of inclusion and equality,” says Glamazon ANZ co-leader Luke Hardwick.
“This second gold award reflects the commitment from our ANZ Glamazon leaders and more broadly, the commitment from Amazon’s senior leadership team and partner teams to actively encourage all team members to build an inclusive and safe workplace for everybody.
“I’m also incredibly proud of the passion and hard work done by Glamazon to secure such great recognition for the second year running.”
Dawn Emsen-Hough, Director of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, says with hundreds of organisations participating, covering a workforce of tens of thousands of people, it’s clear that LGBTQ+ inclusion is a core part of creating equitable, high performing and supportive workplaces.
“Our data shows that when inclusion is embedded in workplace culture, it leads to stronger engagement, improved wellbeing, and better performance outcomes – not only for LGBTQ+ employees but for all staff,” she says.
The submission included a comprehensive overview of Amazon Australia’s HR policies and benefits, bullying and harassment prevention measures, LGBTQ+ diversity initiatives, LGBTQ+ visibility and inclusion efforts, and training and awareness programs.
Next up, LinkedIn has named Amazon Australia as one of the top companies to work for in Australia.
