By Gabriella Payne
The Cardinia Shire Council has been working hard over the past few years to prevent and respond to gendered violence both in the workplace and the community – and the organisation’s efforts have not gone unnoticed.
The team were thrilled to learn that White Ribbon Australia has awarded the council with workplace accreditation for a further three years, which will help them continue to promote equality and address issues of gendered violence and sexual harassment throughout the shire.
The Cardinia Shire Council first became a White Ribbon accredited workplace back in 2016, and Mayor Brett Owen said that it was fantastic to recommit to the program and continue to promote such an important message.
“We took part in the re-accreditation process because we wanted to equip our staff with the knowledge and resources to better understand what gendered violence is, how to identify it and what they can do to prevent it,” Cr Owen said.
“Whether in the workplace or the broader community, we all have a responsibility to stand up and speak out against behaviours that contribute to gendered violence, and to support women affected by it.”
An extensive application and assessment process was independently undertaken by experienced gender equity, health and organisational development specialists in order for the council to achieve this accreditation.
As part of the accreditation, council staff will be educated on the many forms of family violence, how to seek assistance if they are either using violence or are the target of it, and how best to support someone in need.
The White Ribbon workplace accreditation program is internationally recognised and has reached more than 600,000 employees nationally to date.
Cr Owen said that it was great to be involved in such a worthwhile program and the council was looking forward to being able to host more White Ribbon initiatives in the coming months and years.
“Council continues to work hard to ensure a safe and respectful workplace, through education and training, improved workplace policies and involvement in initiatives such as Together We Can and White Ribbon Day,” he said.
If you or anyone you know is experiencing any form of domestic violence, contact Safe Steps (24/7) on 1800 015 188 or at safesteps@safesteps.org.au – or in an emergency, dial 000.
