Welcome to the Diversity Atlas Newsletter – May edition!

We are thrilled to share some exciting updates in this month’s newsletter! Diversity Atlas is proud to be a part of the TechDiversity Awards Gala Dinner for the third consecutive year, celebrating innovative strides in diversity and inclusion within the tech industry. Additionally, we are honored to be part of the groundbreaking TechReflects Study, the world’s first initiative aimed at enhancing the Australian tech workforce and community. As we continue our commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces, we invite you to join the Inclusive Employer survey run by the Diversity Council of Australia, an essential step towards creating a more equitable and diverse professional environment. Read on for more details!

Four Super Amazing Things at the TechDiversity Awards 2024

On 23 May, Diversity Atlas hit the stage at the TechDiversity Awards Gala Dinner 2024 for the third year in a row. Hosted at the Grand Hyatt Melbourne, the event drew 460 people from across the tech sector. We had a blast mapping and measuring the audience, adding an extra dash of theatre and excitement to the night.

Here are some of the insights we discovered:

1. Sexuality as Identity: 18.3% of attendees identified as non-heterosexual, with ‘bisexual’ being the most common. For these individuals, ‘sexuality’ ranked as the most important aspect of their identity, highlighting the need for workplaces to acknowledge and support diverse sexual orientations.
2. Neurodiversity Representation: 10% of the room identified as neurodivergent, a significant figure for the tech industry. This emphasises the importance of understanding and supporting neurodivergent employees, as their presence and contributions are invaluable.
3. Cultural Diversity: From just 298 participants, we identified 90 different ancestral cultures spanning 40 countries of birth. 
4. TechDiversity’s Impact: The TechDiversity organisation, led by Luli Adeyemo and supported by passionate colleagues like Soozey Johnstone, Stacey Hutchinson, and Jen Murray, continues to foster growth and innovation through DEI initiatives. Their efforts are crucial in shaping a more inclusive tech industry in Australia. 

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and a big thank you to TechDiversity for the opportunity to showcase our work. We look forward to next year’s event!

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Inclusive Employers in Australia – Come Along!

For the fourth year running, the Diversity Council of Australia (DCA) have partnered with Diversity Atlas to deploy their Inclusive Employer survey platform.  The survey itself takes a deep dive into any Australian organisation’s inclusion sentiment across 40+ questions, as well as collecting diversity and demographic data along the way for intersectional analysis – all anonymous of course, as it uses Diversity Atlas’s platform to gather the data.  The benchmarking we provide allows organisations to compare and contrast their data to the Australian workforce, other participant organisations and also by ‘industry’.  DCA also offer certification as ‘Inclusive Employers’ to those companies who meet the criteria. 

“Working with the team at Diversity Atlas for our Inclusive Employer Index is a wonderful experience. Partnering with another organisation that is also passionate about the importance of data to drive positive change in organisations helps us provide a product DCA is very proud of.”

Dr. Rose D’Almada-Remedios, Diversity Council of Australia

The survey is predominantly used by members of DCA, but non-members can also participate. If you’re an Aussie company with a commitment to DEI or even just beginning your journey into DEI analysis and initiatives, you should definitely have a look at what the survey can offer, and also consider DCA membership. For more info, you can visit their website here

Companies like DCA and Diversity Atlas are right at the coalface of DEI data gathering and analysis.  Over the years, both of our organisations, in our own style and dogged way, and even with differing emphasis, have become the custodians of Australian high resolution diversity data, particularly diversity data that can be intersected against sentiment.  We’re data nerds so we insist that to launch any kind of DEI program it makes sense to have the data first, and the Inclusive Employer Index is just perfect for this.

The survey will from run July 1 to September 30 this year. Register here or send us an email.

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World-first study set to enhance Australian tech workforces and community!

On May 21st, 2024 our CXO, Michael Walmsley joined Luli Adeyemo, Executive Director of TechDiversity, and Miranda Ratajski, Chief Information Officer at Westpac, for a comprehensive discussion on the transformative TechReflects study, launched in mid-March 2024.

TechReflects represents a groundbreaking intersection of DEI and Big Data—a global first, benchmarking workforce diversity and cultural insights against the broader Australian community. It’s an initiative ensuring that everyone has the chance to contribute to and thrive within the technology sector.

This world-first research seeks not just to measure and identify gaps; it’s about uncovering the rich, untapped skill sets within our society that can propel a collaborative mission of achieving 1.2 million tech jobs by 2030. During the webinar, Miranda unveiled how the Tech Reflects study will provide insights into Australia’s technology workforce and enhance the wider community through insightful, data-driven engagement.

Michael Walmsley explained that this year alone, AUD148 billion dollars will be spent on marketing operations globally, in an effort to better understand client bases and serve their needs, whilst the technology sector neglects to identify its own workforce. 

“It is difficult to exercise inclusion, if we don’t know who we are, to start with.”

Michael Walmsley, CXO Diversity Atlas

Underscoring the importance of understanding how the report can be leveraged to gauge current DEI status, this will be useful in developing strategies for a more inclusive and attractive workplace.

Don’t miss learning about the rich benefits and valuable takeaways from participating in this transformative study.

Watch the video on-demand here

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Calendar Highlight – World Refugee Day

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June 20th marks World Refugee Day, a time to recognise and honor the courage, strength, and resilience of millions of refugees around the globe. This day, established by the United Nations, shines a spotlight on the plight of those who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. World Refugee Day is not only a day of reflection but also an opportunity to celebrate the incredible contributions refugees make to their host communities. From sharing their rich cultural heritage to driving economic growth, refugees continually demonstrate resilience and determination in the face of adversity.

If you’d like to see our platform, book a demo here.

Visit our Cultural Calendar for more events.