Vision Australia has been recognised as one of Australia’s most inclusive workplaces as judged by human resources experts.
The organisation, Australia’s leading provider of services for the blind and low vision, won the Smartgroup Best Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Program Award at the Australian HR Awards in Sydney.
About 15% of Vision Australia’s workforce are members of the blindness and low vision community, but the organisation devised its inclusion and diversity program to build upon its longstanding commitment to demonstrating the value of employing people who are blind or have low vision.
Vision Australia aims to develop innovative programs to attract job candidates who are blind or have low vision, improve workplace accessibility and ensure they were included in staff development and leadership opportunities.
It has also encouraged staff from the blind and low vision community to use Vision Australia as a springboard to develop their careers outside the organisation.
Vision Australia re-defined key performance targets, set a new reporting framework to ensure the program stayed on track, invested in accessibility technology and refined the ways it supported staff who are blind or have low vision.
Since the program began, Vision Australia has hired 38 new workers from the blind and low vision community, with 17% of all staff who are blind or have low vision participating in leadership development programs.
Vision Australia Chief Executive Officer Ron Hooton says he’s delighted with the honour.
“Inclusion and diversity is part of Vision Australia’s DNA,” Mr Hooton says.
“Vision Australia strives to be an advocate for people who are blind or have low vision in the workplace and across society.
“I am thrilled that our efforts to make Vision Australia a better, more inclusive workplace and a workforce role model have been acknowledged by leaders in human resources.”
Mr Hooton says the award win was a team effort that included a commitment to excellence from Vision Australia’s Board, Leadership Team, People and Culture team, all staff and volunteers.
“I am immensely proud of what we have achieved and I’m determined that Vision Australia will keep working to enhance our workplace diversity and inclusion in the future,” he says.