With the Positive Duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace set to be enforced, are Australian boards ready? This ACSI/AICD report considers board preparedness.
Survey insights:
- 85 per cent of directors reported that they strongly or somewhat agreed that the prevention of workplace sexual harassment and other positive duty conduct is a high priority issue for their board.
- 41 per cent of directors indicated that their board was receiving training on workplace sexual harassment and other positive duty conduct, compared to 78 per cent indicating that employees were receiving such training.
- Only 20 per cent of women directors reported that their boards had a very adequate understanding of the nature of other positive duty conduct such as sex discrimination, sex-based harassment, hostile workplace environments on the basis of sex and victimisation. In contrast, 39 per cent of men directors reported the same.
- 32 per cent of women directors and 45 per cent of men directors strongly agreed with the statement that their organisation is well prepared to meet its positive duty obligations as an employer.
- 70 per cent of directors indicated that their organisation has set targets to achieve gender balance in management roles via recruitment and promotion strategies.
