Ai Group plays a key role in promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives to our members, and providing forums where members can share information and best practice approaches. Increased workforce participation is an imperative for a stronger economy and business must find ways to be continuously innovative and attract talented staff. More diverse and inclusive workplaces are important ways to achieve these objectives. 

Some of the many ways we promote diversity and inclusion in our workplace policy and influence work include: 

• Engaging directly with Government Ministers and Departments on workplace diversity and gender equality on behalf of employers;
• Advocating for greater flexibility in our workplace relations system that would enable greater workforce participation and social inclusion of people who may otherwise find employment participation difficult because of their personal circumstances, e.g. caring responsibilities, disability or age; 
• Advocating for greater affordability of, and accessibility to, childcare for families where both parents wish to work;
• Representing employers on reference panels established to inform various Government inquiries in matters of diversity and workforce participation, including co-ordinating member consultations on diversity issues (e.g. the recent national Supporting Working Parents inquiry and Willing to Work inquiry by the Australian Human Rights Commission);
• Partnering with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency to promote gender equality initiatives amongst employers;
• Assisting Government agencies and other bodies in producing relevant and effective education materials for employers to better promote workplace diversity;
• Raising strategic thinking about diversity and inclusion via Ai Group's Diversity and Inclusion Exchange and other member forums. 

Ai Group's Diversity and Inclusion Exchange is a member driven network designed to share leading diversity approaches and strategies and to discuss emerging policy issues. Due to Ai Group's broad membership, we are able to facilitate the sharing of ideas and initiatives by companies across different industries, and to collectively build greater strategic thinking about more inclusive and innovative workplaces. 

To stay up-to-date with our activities in this area, please email info@aigroup.com.au to request more information.