scroll down

Equal businesses and organisations

BREAKING NEWS: Positive duty legislation takes effect

From 12 December 2023 Federal Sex Discrimination laws require organisations and businesses to eliminate, as far as possible, sexual harassment and other unlawful conduct that creates a hostile work environment on the grounds of sex.
Learn more about complying with the positive duty

Join WE’RE EQUAL and be an enterprise of choice for your customers and workforce.

Research shows that businesses and organisations actively supporting diversity and inclusion have loyal customers willing to support and champion them, have better staff productivity and retention, and achieve a higher standard of service delivery.

WE’RE EQUAL helps businesses and organisations show that they have made a commitment to zero tolerance for discrimination, bullying, and harassment.

Equal Opportunity SA directly assists members to create and sustain discrimination-free environments. This includes providing information, access to approved training providers, and downloadable resources for owners and managers, for their workforce, and for their customers. These resources are updated regularly and will be added to over time.

WE’RE EQUAL registration does not use an accreditation or compliance model.

It is a values-based commitment to anti-discrimination and an education package for businesses and organisations to use with their internal and external audiences.

Member businesses and organisations communicate their membership of WE’RE EQUAL as a clear sign to everyone that they are active champions of diversity and inclusion.

How to become a member

To register with WE’RE EQUAL, your business or organisation needs to have an anti-discrimination policy in place and to have communicated it to your workforce. (If you need help developing a policy, we have an easy-to-use handbook to walk you through how to develop policies and procedures).

Members of WE’RE EQUAL sign a Statement of Commitment and undertake to prominently display the WE’RE EQUAL signage at entrances to their premises. They are also asked to communicate their commitment to their customers, workers, contractors, and suppliers.

Registration and membership of WE'RE EQUAL is free, and resources for communicating the commitment are made available as free downloadable PDFs.

Register here

Further resources for all businesses are available below.

What is the Statement of Commitment?

Image sample of the Statement of Commitment made by We're Equal businesses

Need an anti-discrimination policy?

Our Equal Opportunity at Work: A handbook for employers in South Australia includes tips on:

  • Developing and communicating a policy which rules out discrimination and sexual harassment.
  • Developing a procedure for dealing with complaints.
  • How to handle complaints quickly, fairly, and confidentially.
  • How to treat customers and employees fairly.
  • How to appoint an employee as an Equal Opportunity contact person.
  • Monitoring and maintaining a culture of Equal Opportunity.
  • Quick tips for small businesses.
  • Templates to help you write your policy, complaints procedure and code of conduct.

Downloadable PDF:

https://www.equalopportunity.sa.gov.au/documents/Equal-Opportunity-Work.pdf

Not accreditation

WE’RE EQUAL isn’t an accreditation. It’s a sign that the participating business or organisation is committed to actively championing the rights of everyone to live without discrimination, bullying and harassment.

By becoming a member of WE’RE EQUAL, organisations are making a statement that their business is committed to more than just having a passive diversity and inclusion policy somewhere in the HR department.

Tools

Every workplace is different. To help you achieve your outcomes, Equal Opportunity SA has partnered with South Australian training providers to support you to implement initiatives, training or workshops on site at your workplace.

Find out more on our Training page.

We have collated resources to help you improve equality in your business. Please check back regularly as we add new documents when they become available:

Download our Speak Up for Equality poster with tips for bystanders and display it in your business:

Speak Up For Equality

Speak up against discrimination and harassment, because staying silent supports the behaviour. If you see a problem situation there are things you can do to help.

ASSESS THE SITUATION

Is it safe for you to intervene? Are there people around who could be allies to help? Make eye contact with other people to gain their support.

DISTRACT

Approach the victim with a reason for them to leave – tell them they need to take a call, or that you need to tell them something – anything to get them away safely.

SAY SOMETHING

Talk calmly and tell the person picking on the victim that’s it’s not ok. Do this as a group if you can.

DELAY

Wait until the situation has calmed down and ask the victim if they are ok or need help.

REPORT

Call Security if you’re at a venue or report the event to HR or a manager if you’re at work. Stay objective and provide as much detail as possible.

IF THINGS TURN VIOLENT OR ABUSIVE

Don’t put yourself at risk by intervening in violence – call the police on triple zero (000).

Back to WE'RE EQUAL home