When we asked Catherine why she agreed to become a BoardLinks Champion despite her hectic schedule of commitments, she told us, “We have a long way to go to achieving gender equality however I strongly believe that having women in senior positions, across all industry sectors, is vital for ensuring a wider, more enduring change. I also believe that more women on boards makes economic sense.”
Catherine cited research by the Centre for Gender Economics and Innovation and Infinitas Asset Management, which found that companies with boards with at least 25 per cent female directors performed more than seven per cent better per year than companies with no women on their boards and two per cent better than those that are male-dominated. According to Catherine, it is findings like this that drive her work to support women on their workplace leadership journeys.
We caught up with Catherine to talk to her about Mission Australia’s actions to promote gender equality in leadership.
Why do you value diversity in your organisation?
From my own experience, I believe that having a gender balance in meetings and discussions creates a more dynamic, agile environment. Quite often men and women have different skill sets and approaches to solving issues. That’s not to say one way is superior or that all men or all women think the same. But you can feel the positive difference that a gender equal meeting has over one dominated by either sex.
It’s also vital that staff have leaders and mentors that they can look up to and aspire to be and that means seeing something of yourself in them. If you are a young woman looking at a board or executive team made up of men it can be hard to imagine yourself doing that role. Earlier on in my career there were very few senior women but it was so powerful to see those who had broken through. I never forget those women that inspired me when I was starting out and I try and be that role model in return now.
What has Mission Australia done to increase diversity?
As an organisation made up of 74 per cent women and with women holding 71 per cent of its management roles, Mission Australia is removing barriers to increase diversity at senior levels through a combination of initiatives, including:
- Continuing to develop a sustainability plan for diversity for Mission Australia;
- Conducting training around unconscious bias for staff;
- Conducting a gender pay gap review; and
- Addressing pay mechanisms which inadvertently penalise staff for taking parental leave.
How do you role model for gender equality through your own behaviour as a leader?
I believe that by holding myself accountable for leading an organisation that makes gender equality a priority I will influence a wider, enduring change amongst other non-governmental organisations. I also participate in leadership groups such as Chief Executive Women, which visibly champions the need for gender diversity at senior levels.
We thank Catherine and all our BoardLinks Champions for their tireless work in supporting gender equality in leadership positions and their ongoing commitment to the BoardLinks programme.