A year of collaboration: the strength of Australian Network on Disability, and Cheers to disability inclusion says Treasury Wine Estates.

A year of collaboration: the strength of Australian Network on Disability

This past financial year, Australian Network on Disability and our network have moved from strength-to-strength despite the challenges of a global pandemic. Our network of over 300 members have kept disability inclusion front of mind. Through ongoing partnership and collaboration with Australian Network on Disability, we reflect over what our members have achieved over the past financial year.

Making the workforce work for all

Over the 2020-21 financial year, Australian Network on Disability With over 330 members at the end of FY2021, our combined workforce makes up a total of over 1.85 million Australians.

Those 1.85 million Australians all of these Australians are driving towards a disability confident Australia.

We know that despite the challenging circumstances over the past financial year, our network never wavered in their quest to make the workplace inclusive, and the numbers prove it.

Here is a snippet of our 2020-21 Annual Report, showcasing some of our achievements from the past year:

• 190 Disability confidence training sessions delivered,
• 238 organisations used the Index Quick 10 to check their journey and progress towards inclusion
• 415 people attended our roundtables
• And 26% growth in the number of Disability Confident Recruiters across our network.

We are proud that this financial year, we saw our biggest Stepping Into cohort ever. We had 195 internships completed, allowing members to put with disability confidence into practice, and students with disability to gain hands-on work experience.

Similarly, our PACE mentoring program  saw an increase of 37% from last year, with 357 mentoring matches that supported mentors in their disability confidence and inclusion – and in turn, supported mentees in their career confidence.

What lies ahead

We can see that clearly that our engaged and zealous network are a force to be reckoned with not even a pandemic can slow down their eagerness to create a disability confident Australia.

Australian Network on Disability is looking forward to continuing this journey with all of our members.

Read more about what we’ve achieved as a network. Read our 2021 Annual Report for more details on the year that was.

Cheers to disability inclusion says Treasury Wine Estates

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has an ambition: to be the world’s most admired premium wine company. With over 2,600 staff worldwide across 70 countries – it’s a big goal. Michael Perry, Global ERP Manager and TWE Enable Lead says:

At the heart of our ambition is our DNA, which captures the essence of our culture – a powerful mix of what we do well and are famous for.

At TWE, employees:

• bring their whole selves to work
• are courageous
• deliver together.

The culture and ambition are supported, in part, by their global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy – plus the newly formed TWE Enable.

TWE Enable is a global network of employees passionate about accessibility.

TWE Enable aims to provide opportunities through events and activities to learn about disability and celebrate what it means to be part of an inclusive diverse community.

With the help of Australian Network on Disability, TWE Enable is exploring opportunities to improve accessibility across the organisation for consumers and employees alike. Michael explains:

We are seeking to understand where we are right now and to identify the important steps to make TWE more accessible for all,

TWE’s first step is to undertake  the Access and Inclusion Index, which will then set up a longer-term agenda for accessibility and disability confidence – including developing an Accessibility Action Plan.  TWE is also eager to become a Disability Confident Recruiter.

TWE first found Australian Network on Disability through a recommendation from a colleague – and then attended the National Conference in June 2021 before becoming a member.

We had only just launched TWE Enable a few months back, so the timing was perfect. The conference was packed full of great advice and I quickly realised the importance of joining a network of other organisations on the same journey as TWE,

Ultimately, the organisation is excited about the bright future.

I am excited to see what TWE can achieve with the support of Australian Network on Disability. My hope is that over time, we can remove barriers for our staff and consumers and attract and retain the best talent from diverse backgrounds.

Access and Inclusion Index benchmarking closes 10 December

Want to find out how your organisation is progressing towards becoming accessible and inclusive of people with disability? Our world-class Access and Inclusion Index can support you in this journey.

While the comprehensive self-assessment allows you to measure scores internally, you can also submit your results for expert review and advice from Australian Network on Disability. If you’re eager to gain valuable insights into your organisation from our expert staff, submit your results by Friday 10 December.

Speak to your Relationship Manager to get involved or view the Access and Inclusion Index website for more information.

Shape your National Disability Employment Strategy

Department of Social Services (DSS) is currently reviewing the Disability Employment Services (DES) program, known as the DES reform. The current DES system connects people with disability, chronic illness or injury to employment opportunities.

Australian Network on Disability are actively using the voice of our network to create positive policy change. We have an important role in representing the ‘employers’ voice’ (though our membership network) to government to influence system changes in the new disability employment support model.

Our goal is for the new model to better support employers to connect, employ, retain and progress the careers of with people with disability. We know to achieve this the new model must work for employees and employers alike.

To amplify the employer voice, we’re urging our members to get involved in influencing this change.

Recently members of our network came together in workshops discussing the DES reform. Thank you to these members for such a robust conversation that will shape the new strategy, ensuring the voice of employers and people with disability alike is heard.

If you were unable to attend the workshops but would like to provide feedback, please send your written feedback to Krysia.Birman@and.org.au by COB Friday 3 December 2021.

If you would like more information about the DES Reform and the consultation paper, visit the DSS Engage webpage.

Australian Network on Disability’s whistleblower policy

Australian Network on Disability has recently released our whistleblower policy. We encourage anyone to speak up when they see activity or behaviour that they believe does not align with our values or when they believe that behaviour is wrong.

You can find the full whistleblower policy on our website.