Addressing diversity backlash to drive diversity buy-in
Property leaders are urged to uncover underlying drivers of resistance to gender diversity initiatives, as a new report is released by the Male Champions of Change and Chief Executive Women.
According to CEW research, men still hold 79 per cent of executive leadership roles in the ASX200 and 95 per cent of ASX200 CEO positions. What’s more, 21 per cent of ASX200 companies have only men in their leadership teams.
Programs like Property Male Champions of Change, established in 2015, are making headway. Mirvac, for example, has achieved per cent female representation on its board, and many other companies have surpassed the 40 per cent target. But there’s more work to be done.
Backlash and Buy In: Responding to the Challenges in Achieving Gender Equality, released yesterday, explores the range of responses to gender diversity initiatives and how companies around Australia can continue to make change.
Elizabeth Broderick AO (pictured), the convenor of Male Champions of Change, says a certain level of backlash is to be expected and is a sign of progress.
“Bringing about change requires perseverance and courage. It also calls for change makers to engage with the range of responses, rather than dismissing the views of those who stand in the way of reform,” Broderick says.
Kathryn Fagg, president of Chief Executive Women says backlash comes in many forms.
“It’s not always obvious, it can be confronting and requires a human response.”
Among the forms of resistance outlined in the report are claims of preferential treatment of women in hiring, promotion and development, as well as more insidious forms of backlash which manifest as public criticism.
Lendlease’s group CEO and managing director Steve McCann addresses the concerns of men who think they are now at a disadvantage. “This is not the case, it’s simply about providing a level playing field – because historically this hasn’t always been done,” McCann says in the report.
Fagg says it is important for business leaders to show they are “neither fazed by backlash nor will their commitment waver”.
Andy Vesey, chief executive officer of AGL agrees.
“When you’re making a change of this kind, if things don’t work it’s because there are forces that keep it in place. They deal with status, with political power, with economic power, and it takes courage and tremendous work to change,” Vesey says.The report explains the drivers of resistance: lack of understanding, fear, change fatigue, cultural and industry norms. It also provides guidance to help organisations understand and address a range of responses to gender equality strategies.
The report features case studies to illustrate how companies are addressing resistance. CBRE for example, held discussions with senior managers, shared the business case for gender equality and created a space for debate. The process helped CBRE uncover core issues around the barriers to change, such as limited diversity in talent pools for certain role and business lines.
“Managing backlash is never easy – it’s about making space for all views, particularly those that are opposed to progressing gender equality. It is only then that leaders can understand how collectively we can achieve change,” Broderick concludes.
Download Backlash and Buy In: Responding to the Challenges in Achieving Gender Equality.