Diversity Council Australia (DCA) has announced it is inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) for the 2025-2026 ‘Inclusive Employer Index’, offering organisations the chance to be recognised for their commitment to workplace inclusion. EOIs close Monday 1 September 2025.
Run in partnership with Diversity Atlas, the ‘Inclusive Employer Index’ is Australia’s only inclusion index run by an independent peak body that enables organisations to measure, benchmark, and report on workplace inclusion across nine diversity dimensions.
The ‘Inclusive Employer Index’ provides participants with a ready-to-use survey designed to collect valuable data about their workforce. The survey is comprehensive, anonymous and saves time by eliminating the need to design your own. It prioritises privacy and data safety, while also helping employers meet Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) certifications, including questions aligned with its employer of choice for gender equality and employer committed to gender equality requirements.
Employers who exceed the national benchmarks will earn the title of being a DCA 2025-2026 ‘Inclusive Employer’ – a mark of excellence publicly promoted by DCA. Recognised organisations can proudly showcase the ‘Inclusive Employer’ logo, demonstrating their commitment to inclusion to employees, partners, and the wider community.
“Building an inclusive workplace is not just a nice-to-have – it’s key to attracting and retaining talent and is strongly linked to business success,” said Catherine Hunter, DCA CEO.
“The ‘Inclusive Employer’ Index is a powerful diagnostic tool that helps organisations understand their strengths, pinpoint areas for improvement, and track progress over time. It’s a chance to demonstrate leadership and a genuine commitment to creating welcoming and inclusive workplaces where everyone feels valued and respected.”
What’s in it for organisations?
- Gain insights into your employees’ real experiences of inclusion and exclusion
- Access an interactive dashboard to explore and benchmark your workforce data
- Comprehensive benchmarking against national data, DCA members, and your specific industry (where available)
- Support resources including webinars, communication templates and resources
- Support D&I-related reporting and strategic planning.
In 2024–2025, over 60 organisations were recognised, spanning from health and wellness, retail, and transport to major media organisations, law firms and charities.
With inclusion proven to be key to performance, innovation, wellbeing and talent retention, participating in the ‘Inclusive Employer Index’ isn’t just a signal of good intentions, it’s a strategic investment.
“For us it demonstrates that our Road to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion framework is driving us towards our commitment of creating a safe workplace that recognises and encourages our diverse skills and perspectives and a culture of respect and belonging”, said John Erceg, managing director, Main Roads Western Australia.
“Achieving ‘Inclusive Employer’ status in 2024-25 highlights the positive steps we’ve already taken and reinforces our ongoing commitment to building and nurturing a culture of inclusion, diversity and belonging at Container Exchange”, said Natalie Roach, CEO, Container Exchange (QLD) Limited.
Jodi Cant, director general, department of finance, Government of Western Australia added: “The ‘Inclusive Employer’ Index Survey provides us with clarity around where we are doing well, and where we can continue to grow as we strive to be the best place to work and provide leadership across the WA public sector.”
Chris Stewart, CEO, Helping Hand also added: “This achievement reflects the heart of our culture—one that values and celebrates diversity in all its forms. Recently, over 600 of our team members shared their experiences through the DCA survey, and the results highlight just how diverse we truly are.”
“Our team represents 64 cultural backgrounds, speaks 60 different languages, and comes from 46 countries. This diversity is not only something we celebrate, but it strengthens us, enabling us to provide care that’s culturally sensitive and services that are respectful and inclusive.”
