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Leadership drives and supports gender diversity

Gender diversity needs to be driven by leadership and should be considered during the strategic planning process so that your organisation can benefit from the strategic advantage.

Including gender diversity into your organisation’s strategic plan ensures that:

• Gender diversity is prioritised as part of your organisation’s overall strategy.
• Progress of achieving gender diversity is regularly monitored and reported to the Board and leaders of the organisation and everyone is held to account to keep things on track.
• Operational needs are met through the allocation of resources in order to achieve your strategy outcomes.

Set specific gender diversity targets

Setting your own gender diversity targets within your Strategic Plan is a compelling way to achieve greater gender diversity on your Board and in leadership.

Organisations that disclose their gender diversity objectives or targets have demonstrated a higher level of gender diversity than organisations that did not set targets.

Setting measurable, specific targets can be as simple as outlining in your strategic plan what your organisation will achieve.

Set a deadline and monitor progress

Setting a deadline whilst regularly tracking progress in the meantime holds your organisation to account in achieving this strategic outcome.

Whilst each organisation will have its own set of targets specific to their context, it is important that you work with your leaders to ensure that your objectives are not only achievable, but provide your organisation with a strategic advantage.

 What you should do

• Include gender diversity as a pillar or key area of focus within the organisation’s strategic plan.
• Set gender diversity targets and a deadline to achieve your targets.
• Identify gaps within your organisation.
• Agree on the follow up actions to address the gaps