SHARING 2014 Annual Report€¦ · Award for Disability Employment (Aug 2014) » Department of...

2014Annual Report

www.and.org.au

SHARING EXPERTISE

CONTENTS

About Us ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................03Chairperson’s Report..............................................................................................................................................................................04Chief Executive’s Report .................................................................................................................................................................05Our Track Record ...........................................................................................................................................................................................06 2014 Achievements – Year at a Glance .................................................................................................................... 06Growing Our Networks ......................................................................................................................................................................07 Member Roundtables ........................................................................................................................................................................... 07 Champions ................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 08Enhancing Inclusion ..................................................................................................................................................................................09 Training ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................09Influencing Change ....................................................................................................................................................................................10 Internships ............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Mentoring .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 12Bespoke Consultancy ............................................................................................................................................................................13 Advising ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Property Access Reviews ................................................................................................................................................................ 13 Accessibility Action Plans ...............................................................................................................................................................13 Website Reviews ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 13Building Our Profile .................................................................................................................................................................................14 Events ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................14 Communications ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 Website ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................15 Newsletters ............................................................................................................................................................................................................15 Social Networking .......................................................................................................................................................................................15Sharing Expertise .........................................................................................................................................................................................16 Publications ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 16Financial Performance.........................................................................................................................................................................17Corporate Governance ........................................................................................................................................................................18 Committee of Management ...................................................................................................................................................... 18AND Members .....................................................................................................................................................................................................22

Annual Report 2014 02

ABOUT US

Purpose

Our purpose is to advance the equitable inclusion of people with disability in all aspects of business.

Vision

Our vision is to be recognised as the peak employer body helping to create a disability confident Australia.

Mission

Our mission is to provide expert advice and services on disability to employers, government representatives and industry bodies.

Our Story

We began in 2000, as Employers Making a Difference Inc, now trading as the Australian Network on Disability. We are a not-for-profit organisation incorporated in NSW under the Associations Incorporation Act (2009).

We are Australia’s only member-funded organisation promoting and supporting businesses that encourage people with disability as employees, customers and suppliers.

Since we began, our skills and expertisehave been recognised by many private and public sector organisations. We are proud to say that we have been resourced by our members since January 2004, and therefore our membership continues to grow.

The 2013/14 AND team, L to R, Jenny Watts-Sampson, Samantha Dancey, Cynthia Sasongko, Christie Price, Jason Barker, Suzanne Colbert, Evanne Christie, Wilma Stevens and Amy Whalley (nee Lovegrove)

Australian Network on Disability 03

It is my great pleasure to present the Chairman’s report for the Australian Network on Disability for 2014. Although this year has been another very successful year for our organisation, with stability and consolidation being the key features of the year’s operation, my report is dominated by our

need to change and structure ourselves to fulfill our very highest ambitions at a truly national and international level.

As a consequence, the board and I, fully supported by our CEO, have recommended to our members that our corporate entity be changed from an incorporated association to a company limited by guarantee, and a motion to pass a special resolution will be put forward during the AGM. It is also with some mixed feelings that I inform you that I will be resigning my position as Chairman of AND at this Annual General Meeting. I am a co-founder of AND, formerly Employers Making a Difference (EMAD), and have been a board member since the very establishment of our organisation in 2000. I have held the position of Chairman for the last seven years. My company Benbro Electronics is a Platinum founding member.

I am extremely proud of the outstanding achievements of AND over the last 14 years and also of the significant contribution that our 142 member organisations have made towards disability employment issues in this nation. However, I very strongly believe that in order for AND to maintain its impressive record of growth, and continue to lead and influence senior decision makers in Government and Industry in Australia and our region, that we must be led by a high profile Chair with very strong corporate and political connections. I have informed our board that I will not be seeking re-election and will not accept nomination as Chairman at this AGM.

I have instructed the board to instigate our succession plan. I will, however, be nominating as an ordinary member of the board and hope to continue working with AND and supporting our new Chair into the future. It has been an absolute privilege, and both an exciting and rewarding experience, serving as Chairman of the Australian Network on Disability, I leave the organisation in the hands of an exceptional and talented board of directors and our very professional and capable staff led by CEO Suzanne Colbert,

who will continue to have my full support and assistance into the future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful board and the amazing staff of AND and, most particularly, our CEO Suzanne Colbert, for the absolutely outstanding loyalty, cooperation, assistance, and understanding shown to me as a board member and Chairman, especially during the last two very personally difficult years.

Finally I would like to acknowledge and congratulate every one of the 142 members of the Australian Network on Disability, for your trust, for your support and most importantly for your commitment to change the culture of this nation and to make the lives of countless people with disability more rewarding and more equitable, and to demonstrate that we value them and their talents and their contribution to make Australia a better place.

Our Members’ 2013/14 Achievements

» Compass Group won the National HR Award for Best Recruitment Strategy (Sept 2013)

» Coca Cola Amatil won the National HR Award for Employer of Choice (Sept 2013)

» Westpac Group won Excellence in Improving Employment Opportunities Award at the National Disability Awards 2013, for their ABLE Employee Action Group (Dec 2013)

» Penrith City Council won the Excellence in Improving Social Participation Award at the National Disability Awards (Dec 2013)

» Westpac won the 2014 AHRI Inclusion and Diversity Award for Disability Employment (Aug 2014)

» Department of Health won the 2014 APS Diversity Award for Disability (Nov 2014)

John Bennett, OAM

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

Gold members Westpac Group won the ‘Excellence in Improving Employment Opportunities’ Award at the National Disability Awards 2013.


AND’s 2013/14 financial year saw many member consolidations, shrinking federal and state government workforces and constrained economic conditions.

However, the commitment to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)

and raised awareness and expectations has led to increased focus on employment for people with disability. Achieving increased employment outcomes is a key aim and will offset the cost of the NDIS. Our members consistently raise the difficulty they experience in obtaining disability related information from candidates and current employees. In a recent survey of Business Council of Australia members, the majority of employers responded that they do not seek information regarding disability as they are concerned that it might be perceived as discriminatory. It is surprising that more than 20 years after the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act there is no standard guidance for employers on how to ask for disability related information from candidates and employees. AND, in partnership with the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Human Rights Commission, has approached Minister Fifield for funding support to develop such guidance and for this to become publicly available. A standardised approach will also result in more comparable data.

Another key area that AND members have highlighted for action by government is the Disability Employment Services system due for re-tendering in 2018. It is widely accepted that the current model is broken. It is estimated that by 2017 the cost of Disability Employment Services will reach $1 billion per annum and, as they are used by only 3% of employers with less than 30% of placements achieving 26-week outcomes, they are an example of how employers can challenge the status quo and find a better way.

We applaud Senator Fifield for supporting an employer taskforce and we look forward to working with him to assist with the design of an approach that better supports employers and will make it easier to connect with skilled and talented people with disability.

It is AND members’ focus on linking with skilled and talented people with disability that has led to substantial growth in the Stepping Into™ internship program and PACE mentoring.

Research undertaken by Cornell University found that employers who participated in internship programs for people with disability are four and a half times more likely to hire a person with disability. The Cornell research into key employer practices and policies found that there is a clear relationship between practices and policies and the actual hiring of people with disability. Similarly, the PACE mentoring program has grown substantially and provides valuable connections for mentees as well as building the confidence of mentors to be inclusive of people with disability.

During 2013/14 we restructured and grew the team at AND. Wilma Stevens, Senior Relationship Manager has also taken responsibility for our Work Health, Safety and Wellbeing. Congratulations to Jason Barker, who has been appointed Deputy CEO. We have an outstanding team at AND who enthusiastically work with our members to progress the inclusion of people with disability across all aspects of business. AND is steered and governed by an impressive board under the Chairmanship of John Bennett. John has been on the board since our first meeting in 1999 and Chairman for seven years. He has made an enormous contribution and I sincerely thank him, both professionally and personally for his unwavering support, energy and enthusiasm.

Although there is much to be done to achieve the results that we are working toward, progress will be achieved more efficiently and effectively by sharing knowledge and expertise, and through harnessing the power of networks. We sincerely thank you, our members, for being part of the Australian Network on Disability and for contributing to the success of others.

Suzanne Colbert AM

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT

Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield, AND Chairman John Bennett and AND Chief Executive Suzanne Colbert


2013/14 Achievements – Year at a Glance

» Our Stepping Into™ program provided paid internships to 76 students with disability over the year, and expanded the disciplines available

» Our PACE mentorship program offered over 76 mentoring opportunities for jobseekers with disability around the country

» We facilitated 3 Champions’ events throughout the year

» We facilitated an intimate Champions’ Dinner with the Hon. Senator Eric Abetz, Minister for Employment

» We conducted 12 Roundtable meetings for members in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra

» We continued building our online discussion forum for Disability Employee Networks to enable them to share information easily

» Our CEO Suzanne Colbert was interviewed for articles in several mainstream media channels

» We delivered outstanding customer surveys, property access reviews and Accessibility Action Plans for our members

» The number of hits on our website rose by more than 20%

» Our social media presence increased due to a more strategic approach

OUR TRACK RECORD

» We welcomed a delegation from Thailand into our Sydney office in September 2013, with the visit facilitated by the Department of Education and the Department of Industry

» Suzanne Colbert presented at the following forums:

» NESA Conference (Nov 2013)

» SVA Forum – Brighter Futures: Building Brighter Futures for the Long term Unemployed (June 2014)

» Suzanne also contributed to the following taskforces and working groups:

» DES Reference Group

» GAP Taskforce on Productive Ageing

» City of Sydney Inclusion Advisory Panel

» ICT Accessibility Roundtable

» DMO Diversity Advisory Group

» Roundtable on the Interim Report into Welfare Reform

» Our fifth annual national conference Leading the Way in May at the Aerial Function Centre at UTS was well attended and generated a great deal of discussion.

A delegation from Thailand visits the AND office to share best practice experiences


One of AND’s core purposes is to build strong networks of people and organisations to advance the inclusion of people with disability. We provide opportunities for our members and supporters to collaborate to develop new initiatives and programs that enhance inclusion in Australian workplaces.

Member Roundtables

Our member roundtable meetings are a chance for our members to network, as well as share and discuss their experiences around inclusion of people with disability. These meetings are a great opportunity for members to inspire and motivate each other with success stories, and work through challenges in a collegiate environment.

Attendance of the member roundtables continues to grow in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne.

The structure of the meetings consists of an initial presentation by a member which highlights best practice strategy, policy and/or outcomes, which is then followed by an update from AND about what has been going on in the broader disability space. The meeting concludes with a (Chatham House rule) roundtable discussion where members share their success stories, challenges, and any new programs around inclusion. This informal discussion often sparks new ideas and encourages members to think outside the box in relation to disability inclusion.

These roundtable meetings are hosted by members, and are a great way for our members to support networking and sharing of knowledge.

Sydney

Four meetings were held in Sydney throughout 2013/14, kindly hosted by Sparke Helmore, Suncorp, Manpower and Stockland.

Some of the topics discussed included: Reasonable adjustments, Disability Standards, member diversity initiatives, and building capability for employing people with disability.

Canberra

Four meetings were held in Canberra throughout 2013/14, kindly hosted by the Departments of: Sustainability, Environment, Water Population and Communities; Human Services; Infrastructure and Regional Development; and Agriculture.

Some of the topics discussed included: Mental health and wellbeing, accessible technology, Cisco’s approach to teleworking and its impact on employment, the role of the ACT Disability and Community Services Commissioner, and key points from the AND Conference.

Melbourne

Four meetings were held in Melbourne throughout 2013/14, kindly hosted by NAB (two meetings), ANZ, and Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

Some of the topics discussed included: Successful employee networks, employment and retention of people with disability, website accessibility essentials, Hearing Awareness Week initiatives, an introduction to Aspergers and barriers to employment, and a review of AND’s Stepping Into program.

GROWING OUR NETWORKS


Champions

AND’s Disability Champions encourage and support their organisation to implement inclusive practices for people with disability in the workplace.

Our Champions are senior executives with outstanding leadership qualities and a genuine passion for inclusion of people with disability. Champions are changemakers who drive progress within their organisations on welcoming people with disability as employees, customers and stakeholders.

Champions attend working lunch meetings in order to share their achievements and challenges with each other. These meetings are hosted by our members and facilitated by our CEO Suzanne Colbert, following Chatham House Rule. Three Champions meetings took place this year in Sydney and Canberra, as well as a

Champions’ Dinner hosted by ANZ in Sydney the evening prior to our Annual National Conference, in May, which was attended by Senator the Hon. Eric Abetz, Minister for Employment.

Champions’ meetings allow members to network with like-minded executives who share similar experiences and challenges, and also facilitate referrals and introductions. Champions meetings are a supportive and positive environment to discuss issues related to inclusion of people with disability in the workplace. Meetings also afford Champions the opportunity to share experiences as to how they can support their own organisation’s disability strategies.

GROWING OUR NETWORKS

Delegates networking at AND Conference Leading the Way 2014


Training

Training continues to be one of our most valued services, with many member and non-member organisations utilising the expertise and vast knowledge of the AND trainers Jenny Watts-Sampson and Amy Whalley (nee Lovegrove). Jenny and Amy share a passion for helping organisations to meet their diversity goals and become more inclusive workplaces, and this is evident in the feedback we receive from members.

In the financial year 2013/14, AND provided training sessions to 19 Government departments (Federal, State and Local government agencies) and 12 private sector members. Two non-member organisations also received training from AND over the course of the year.

Our most popular training sessions are the Disability Awareness/Disability Confidence sessions and Mental Health and Workforce Wellbeing. Disability Confidence for Human Resources Professionals was also a very popular session this year. Other training sessions delivered included Managing Staff with Disability, Welcoming Customers with Disability, Managing and Supporting People with Intellectual Disability, and Disability Communication and Etiquette.

Our suite of ‘lunch and learn’ short sessions has continued to expand, and in 2013/14 we offered eight different 1-2 hour sessions, including Invisible Disability, Disability Etiquette, Encouraging and Responding to Disclosure, and Language and Communication.

Feedback from our training recipients identifies that participants feel they have increased awareness and confidence after AND training sessions, and they enjoy the interactive, open discussion, and the use of examples and case studies. Our trainers Jenny and Amy have also been highly praised by training participants for their knowledge and empathy, and their engaging delivery of the material.

ENHANCING INCLUSION

AND consistently receives excellent feedback from members about our training services. Face-to-face training this year was supplemented by webinars and the provision of content for eLearning modules.


Internships

Stepping Into™ is AND’s ground-breaking program that facilitates internship opportunities within our member organisations for university students with disability. Members value Stepping Into as a talent pipeline development program, and appreciate the way that it helps to build a more diverse and disability confident workplace.

The program continues to grow and develop, with more members participating, more students applying, and a greater recognition of the benefits of the program, both for the participating organisations and the interns with disability.

In the financial year 2013/14 AND facilitated 76 internships with our member organisations, after receiving more than 200 applications from students. Members participating for the first time in 2013/14 included Arts NSW, Austrade, Australia Post, Commonwealth Bank, City of Greater Dandenong, Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, IBM, NDIA, Telstra, Safety Return to Work Support Division, VIC Department of Human Services.

INFLUENCING CHANGE

Members participating again include the Australian Financial Security Authority, Henry Davis York, Lend Lease, NSW Ombudsman, NSW Attorney General’s Department, PwC, Sparke Helmore, Stockland, Sydney Opera House, Westpac Group, as well as the Federal Government Departments of; Agriculture; Attorney General; Employment; Education; and Social Services.

Internship opportunities were offered in the areas of Accounting, Architecture, Arts, Building, Planning and Construction, Business, Commerce, Communications, Education, Economics, Engineering, Finance, HR, IT/ICT, Journalism, Law, Marketing, Organisational Psychology, Project Management, Politics, Science and Web Development, among others.

We are very proud of our member organisations who continue to offer outstanding work experience opportunities for university students with disability. Stepping Into is increasingly being seen as a talent pipeline strategy for our members; many members offer participating interns ongoing employment.


For Telstra, the Stepping Into program forms an important part of accessibility and inclusive practices.

Telstra’s Senior Diversity & Inclusion specialist, who manages the program within Telstra, Alicia Mathews, says the program supports the company’s purpose and contributes to diversity and inclusion objectives.

“Our purpose at Telstra is to create a brilliant connected future for everyone - and we mean for everyone. At Telstra we value diversity and inclusion and commit to providing real business experience for students with disability,” says Alicia.

Senior leaders at Telstra champion the program by providing meaningful work and work experiences for students. General Manager - Strategy and Programs Gareth Hallaran says the program was mutually beneficial for the team and students participating in the program.

“It has been a tremendous experience. The team and I look forward to working with more students in the future,” says Gareth.

Alicia says the program is supported by company-wide diversity and inclusion initiatives and will be extended in FY15.

“Telstra’s commitment to diversity and inclusion through our Disability Action Plan, Telstra Executive disability champion network, inclusive recruitment practices and flexible work strengthens the opportunity and experience for students participating in the Stepping Into program at Telstra,” Alicia says.

“With growing awareness and support by the leadership community, Telstra’s intake has tripled to 17 interns for the FY15 summer program. We’re proud that 2 students from the Stepping Into winter program secured ongoing roles, and are now permanent Telstra employees.”


Mentoring

PACE – Positive Action towards Career Engagement – is AND’s vibrant and dynamic new mentoring program developed to assist AND members to engage with students and jobseekers with disability.

PACE provides managers and people leaders with the chance to be a mentor, share their experiences and knowledge, and develop their leadership skills, while providing mentoring and guidance to students and jobseekers with disability. The program is a rewarding professional and personal development experience for all involved.

PACE has been developed by AND as a structured program that supports our members’ diversity

strategies and goals for increasing disability awareness across their business.

In 2013/14, AND facilitated 76 mentoring ‘matches’ in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane. Participating organisations included our program sponsors ANZ and IBM, as well as Commonwealth Bank, Legal Aid, Mission Australia, NSW Ombudsman, and the Department of Immigration and Border Security. AND sources eligible mentees from our university partners, as well as Disability Employment Services such as Vision Australia, Advance Personnel and Mission Australia.

Due to the generosity of our PACE sponsors ANZ and IBM, AND is able to offer this valuable program without any additional cost to members. AND is actively seeking additional sponsorship so that more mentor and mentee matches can be made and the benefits further expanded.

“Being able to positively impact the career opportunities of job seekers and students with disability has been a fantastic experience. Watching the confidence of my mentees grow has been incredibly rewarding and I would recommend the program to anyone”.

PACE Mentor Belinda Berry, Diversity Officer at the Department of Immigration and Border Protection

IBM Australia is a sponsor of AND’s PACE Mentoring, and appreciates that the program supports their leadership role in increasing employment participation of people with disability in the Australian business community.

“A good mentoring relationship is invaluable,” says John Twine, IBM’s Executive Sponsor for People with Disability. “Moving from university to a corporate environment can be daunting but having a mentor while you are still at university who can help with advice and guidance can take a lot of the stress and worry out of making the transition. That’s why initiatives like PACE are so worthwhile. And the learning isn’t all one-sided. The mentor comes away with a far better understanding of the challenges that people with a disability face. It helps break down the barriers.”

INFLUENCING CHANGE

“Participation in the PACE mentoring program is helping to accelerate the level of disability confidence across ANZ and has given profile to the activities of the Abilities Network. One of the highlights is that the ANZ mentors are from all levels of the organisation; some are inspired by personal connections to people with disability and others are passionate about making a difference. Regardless, the level of participation has been very encouraging. We are proud to sponsor the program and provide opportunities for students and job seekers with disability as they embark on their chosen career.”

Sue Jeffery, General Manager, ANZ Direct


Advising

In the last year, we experienced an increased demand from our member organisations and major Australian companies for our consultancy services. The majority of this advisory work was aimed at the inclusion of customers with disability, as well as reviews of recruitment and reasonable adjustments processes. AND is ideally placed to undertake consultancy projects which contribute to the body of evidence of good practice and share findings across our membership.

Property Access Reviews

AND assisted several members with accessibility reviews of their retail outlets, office space and some areas of public domain. Whereas traditional access reviews merely measure compliance with Australian Standards, the AND review also looks at equity and dignity of the service or employment experience. These reviews are now assisting architects and project managers to think about accessibility in a different way, much earlier in the process.

BESPOKE CONSULTANCY

Accessibility Action Plans

The focus of Accessibility Action Plans has moved from minimising the risk of complaint under the Disability Discrimination Act, to the current focus of prioritising people with disability as customers. We assisted several members through the comprehensive process of developing their plans this year. We also held follow up meetings to further develop actions for product development to target customers with disability.

Website Reviews

The focus of our reviews has extended beyond assessing recruitment pages and moved into online shopping and customer-focused parts of businesses’ websites. Our reviews identify where the website is exposed to risk, or losing business from people with disability, and whether members’ system for training IT staff and website testing have been adequate. Our comprehensive reviews guide members in streamlining their websites to ensure optimum accessibility for all users.


BUILDING OUR PROFILE

Speakers included:

» Senator the Hon. Mitch Fifield

» Diane Utatao, Australia Post

» Genevieve Clay-Smith, Bus Stop Films

» Grazia Pecoraro and Majella Knobel, Westpac Group

» Mark Cripsey, Coles Online

» Therese Campbell, WorkFocus Group

» Ros Reidy, IBM

» Matt Dowie, Suncorp

» Jessica Zammit, AFDO

» Graeme Cowan, RUOK? At Work

» Fiona Anderson, NDIS campaign Every Australian Counts

We acknowledge our generous sponsors including ANZ, WorkFocus Australia, Ai Media, National Relay Service, Hearing Loop Australia and Conexu Foundation.

“Thank you for an exciting conference. I loved the presenters’ topics and the timings were perfect. It was a well run, fabulous conference. Thank you!”

Events

Our 5th annual National Conference was held on 21 May 2014 at the Aerial UTS Function Centre in Sydney. After four years of ‘Raising the Bar’, the 2014 conference was aptly named ‘Leading the Way’, signifying the progress that has been made by many AND members on inclusion of people with disability.

Leading the Way 2014 featured presentations from a number of organisations that are leading the way in disability inclusion with their innovative and unique programs.

The event was attended by over 130 delegates, primarily human resources and diversity professionals. Our MC was the irrepressible Julie McCrossin, who, with her insight into the subject matter and irreverent sense of humour, kept the audience engaged and the speakers on time.

Conference delegates engaging in group discussion

Conference MC Julie McCrossin speaking with conference delegate John Little

Some of the positive feedback we received from delegates:

“Fantastic event – very informative and I now have lots to action”“Well organised. Good mix of presenters. Lots of useful takeaways. Excellent MC!”“Great opportunity to hear ‘real stories’ that are both inspirational and informative.”


Communications

Increased media presence

AND’s profile has continued to grow in the media over the past year, with numerous appearances and citations across print, radio, TV, and online.

During 2013/14, a concerted effort was made to position AND as the ‘go-to’ organisation for media commentary. This resulted in CEO Suzanne Colbert regularly being quoted, interviewed or featured in a wide variety of mainstream and niche media outlets.

AND was mentioned in a wide range of media channels, including ABC Radio AM and Life Matters programs, Pro Bono Australia’s online magazine, and Human Capital magazine.

Website

The AND website continues to be a popular resource for our members, as well as a source of useful information for students and jobseekers with disability, employers, disability employment service providers, and many other organisations. While the majority of our website traffic is from Australia, we have visitors from all over the world.

This year we have worked on Search Engine Optimisation, resulting in the AND website appearing on the first page of a Google search for five of our key search terms.

We have also continued to develop the Disability Employee Network (DEN) Forum in the Members’ Only area of the website. This is a discussion forum where members can engage in various topics, share learnings and discuss strategies around building and maintaining their employee networks. The DEN Forum fulfils one of the fundamental purposes of our network, which is to bring organisations together to share knowledge and experiences.

Newsletters

The monthly AND e-newsletter has a reputation as an excellent source of information for our members and others on the mailing list. Our mailing list continues to grow, and our newsletter is also regularly ‘shared’ by recipients on social media platforms including LinkedIn and Twitter.

During 2013/14 we had a greater focus on producing original content for the newsletter, providing commentary and opinion on a variety of disability-related subjects. This has resulted in greater engagement from our readers, with much higher than average ‘open’ and ‘click through’ rates.

Social Networking

AND’s presence on social media has grown significantly during 2013/14, with 2115 followers on Twitter, 566 followers on LinkedIn, and 680 followers on our Facebook page as at 30 June 2014. This year we have also set up a Discussion Group on LinkedIn, where we encourage members to engage in informal discussion on topics of interest.

Our social media platforms are used to drive traffic to the AND website, and to draw attention to our products and services, as well as to share interesting news items from Australia and around the world.


Publications

During 2013/14 we consolidated on the success of our existing suite of publications, and sales of all publications remained steady.

Over the year we have sold 12 HTML copies of our publications, and many hundreds of hard copies. A publication sales drive during May 2014 resulted in an additional three members purchasing HTML versions of our publications prior to the EOFY.

The AND suite of publications includes:

» Beyond Recruitment: a Guide to Developing & Retaining People with Disability in your Organisation

A guide to assist organisations to create inclusive workplaces in which all people have a chance to reach their potential. It provides detailed information that assists in removing unintended barriers in communications, processes, facilities and procedures.

SHARING EXPERTISE

» Manager’s Guide: Disability in the workplace

The Managers’ Guide includes information to assist managers and supervisors to effectively manage employees with disability throughout the entire employment cycle, from initial recruitment to leaving employment.

» Welcoming Customers with Disability

An essential resource for equipping customer service staff with the necessary confidence and skills to respond effectively to customers with disability. This booklet also provides information on the simple ways that businesses can improve their accessibility.

All of our publications are available in electronic format (HTML), and can be uploaded directly onto members’ intranets, for ease of access by large and/or distributed workforces.


Financial Performance

We are most appreciative to PKF Lawler for undertaking our 2013/14 Financial Audit.

During the 2013/14 financial year, AND made a small operating deficit of $17,882 resulting in a retained surplus of $39,388.

Total revenue between 2013 and 2014 was stable (increasing by $3,233). Growth in income from membership was reduced by the amalgamation of several public sector members. Growth in training and consulting income (up by $15,492) and events (up by $3,075) offset reductions in publications and other income.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

Employee expenses rose from 2013 to 2014 by $69,225 as a result of significant restructuring of AND and increased capability to meet the evolving demand of our members. This restructuring has enabled greater depth in consulting and training capability. Tight expense control in other areas meant that total expenses increased by only $26,003.

Stronger account control during the year resulted in a lower level of trade receivables (down by $147,549) and a larger cash at bank balance (up by $93,843).

Income 2014 2013 Expense 2014 2013


Committee of Management

The Committee of Management is responsible for governance and strategic direction. There are three office bearers (Chair, Secretary and Treasurer) and up to ten members of the Committee.

AND Committee members do not receive any remuneration, and they hold office until the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting following the member’s election. Should a vacancy occur during this period, another member may be appointed to fill that vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting. Seven board meetings were held in the financial year 2013/14, and we welcomed Catherine Eyre as a new Committee member.

During 2013/14, our board benefited from the pro bono consultancy services of Kerrie Field of KF People Solutions, who developed a comprehensive Induction Framework for new board members, as well as a series of recommendations around streamlining Governance frameworks. We greatly appreciate Kerrie’s expertise and commitment to strengthening our board’s foundations.

We also appreciate the pro bono support of Sparke Helmore Lawyers for assisting with the development of our new constitution.

Details of AND Committee of Management office bearers and members are as follows:

John Bennett OAM, Chairman

John is one of the founders of Employers Making a Difference. He started his career in the R.A.F. as an Apprentice Weapons Fitter before moving to Australia with his family January 1973. John is currently Chairman

of the Australian Network on Disability and is a former Board member of Shore Personnel. He is Director of Engineering at Benbro and is a Justice of the Peace in NSW. Initially he worked with his father in “Bennett & Son Painters & Decorators” before moving into the electronics sector as a Sound System

Technician & Installer on large projects such as Shopping Centres and Public Buildings. He also worked as an Engineers assistant in “Microwave Technology”.

In 1986 John started Benbro Electronics with his elder brtther Steven and in 1988 they employed their first person with a disability. This became a highly successful ongoing strategy for their business which resulted in nominations for the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award in 1994, 1996 and 1998 for leadership and achievement in the employment of people with a disability.

In 1998 Benbro was announced as both State and National Winner of the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award in the small business division. As a direct result of receiving these honours John and Steve, along with Suzanne Colbert, then Manager of Shore Personnel in Sydney, got together atnd formed Employers Making A Difference (now the Australian Network on Disability).

Benbro won the Prime Minister’s Employer of the Year Award again in 2003, 2005 and 2006 when they were inducted into the “Hall of Fame”. John has met with many senior government ministers to discuss issues affecting the barriers to employment of people with a disability and is frequently asked to speak to employer groups regarding the employment of people with a disability. Benbro has a policy that at least 25% of its workforce will comprise people with a disability and employs people on the basis of their capability to do the job well.

John has been active in the community through Apex where he has been a club Secretary and Treasurer, he has been a President 3 times and a Deputy District Governor and in 1992 he was awarded nominated as Apexian of the year. In 1994 Benbro was awarded Local Employer of the Year at the Manly Daily’s Small Business of the Year Awards. John was awarded the Order of Australia in January 2007.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE


David Davies, Secretary

David Davies is a partner in Sparke Helmore’s Workplace Relations and Safety team. He has more than 18 years’ experience acting for private sector and government clients in workplace relations matters,

including unfair dismissals, industrial disputes, discrimination law and workplace agreements.

A former chairman of the Australian Employers Network on Disability, David has a keen interest in discrimination issues. A significant area of David’s practice is bullying, harassment and discrimination. David appears regularly in court on these issues. He is an expert advocate and regularly appears as counsel before the Australian and NSW Industrial Relations Commissions.

Clients have praised David for his timely delivery of high quality work and the consistency of his advice on exposure to risk and liability. David also presents at industry seminars and provides training to private and public sector clients and has previously lectured in employment relations at UTS and UWS.

Bronwyn Grantham, Treasurer

Bronwyn is currently Financial Controller (CFO) for the Global Services Division of IBM Australia/New Zealand. Bronwyn is a CPA and has over 18 years’ experience with IBM joining

after completing a Bachelor of Commerce at Melbourne University. After building her accounting and planning foundation Bronwyn took some time away from IBM to travel and experience various Finance Professional roles in London. She returned to IBM Australia in a pricing role where she helped IBM and its customers financially structure service’s contracts. This role led her back to the UK and

involved increasing complex and international deals as the Commercial pricing lead where she played an instrumental role in significant signings of large outsourcing contracts. Other recent roles in A/NZ include Software Group Financial Controller and Business Controls and Risk Manager across the A/NZ IBM Region. At the core of what Bronwyn enjoys in business is bringing businesses, individuals or teams together to find mutually beneficial solutions and outcomes.

Richard Barnett

Richard is Business Manager - Technology for Chandler Macleod. Chandler Macleod provides Recruitment and end-to-end Workforce Management solutions to clients throughout Australia, NZ, SE Asia, UK and Ireland.

The group has 1,200 permanent employees, 21,000 employees out working for clients and 300,000 people payrolled each week.

Richard has been on the AND board since 2008, has been actively involved in marketing AND’s services to new members, and has successfully assisted with lobbying at Government level to increase workforce participation by people with disability in this sector of the workforce.

He also has 4 years’ experience as the Australian representative on the global diversity council of a major corporation.

Belinda Curtis Belinda has worked in human resources for over 15 years in a range of HR and Organisational Development roles with responsibility for leading diversity, OH&S and engagement strategy.

Belinda is currently People and Performance Director at Tip Top and has held senior HR roles at Qantas, Commonwealth Bank, AMP and


Colonial State Bank. Whilst at AMP, she led the development of that organisation’s Work, Family and Diversity strategies.

Belinda has held leadership roles in EEO and diversity professional networks, and began her career as an occupational therapist with the Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service.

Catherine Eyre

Catherine Eyre is the General Manager of 2discover Recruitment and Consulting. Her career has spanned 15+ years within corporate Australia, where she has been in key leadership and executive roles over Client Experience

and Talent & Leadership. Through all of her years leading and developing people, Catherine’s passion has always been building diverse and inclusive teams, bringing the organisations strategy to life through its people.

Catherine has been hands-on in increasing opportunities for Australians with disability for over eight years through targeted in-house strategies, working with CEOs and executives and bringing the vision to life. In her role now at 2discover, Catherine consults with her clients on a range of diversity and inclusiveness strategies incorporating the key areas of work-life/flexibility, gender, cultural diversity/multi-faith, disability, generational/mature age, Indigenous, LGBT. Catherine is a mentor through the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and a member of NEEPOA and the diversity council. She is currently completing her MBA and has a range of industry related qualifications.

Kevin Figueiredo

Kevin is the General Manager Health, Safety and Wellbeing and is on the Executive Leadership Team at Woolworths Limited. Woolworths Limited is one of Australia’s largest employers,

employing over 190,000 people, serving over 26 million customers per week through its retail network of over 3000 Stores.

Prior to Woolworths, Kevin worked for Westpac as the Group Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing and in various Safety, Health and Environmental roles at Goodman Fielder.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Master of Science in Safety Management from West Virginia University in the US and is a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers and the Safety Institute of Australia.

Kevin has over 15 years’ experience in safety management in Airport Safety, Food Manufacturing, Logistics, Retail Operations and Banking.

Frank McManus

Frank recently held the position of Senior Vice President and Director of People Resources for McDonald’s Australia and HR Lead for Africa and Pacific, and was responsible for developing and guiding the company’s strategies on human

resources, industrial relations, talent management and executive development. Frank had 35 years’ experience with McDonald’s both in Europe and Australia. He started his career working in its restaurants in Germany. Frank retired in 2010 and now supports his wife Keryn who is a franchisee of two McDonald’s restaurants in Sydney.

Paul O’Connor

Paul is CEO of the Victorian Managed Insurance Authority, a public sector risk manager and insurer. Paul has extensive leadership experience in insurance, risk management and business regulation in Australia, the United States and Asia, both

in the public and private sectors. Paul has been active in disability, rehabilitation, mental health and

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE


public sector insurance reforms. Previously, Paul served as CEO and sole director of Comcare, a federal workplace regulator and insurer. He was also Deputy Chair of the Seacare Authority a federal regulator of the offshore maritime industry. Paul was a member of the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission that oversees the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was also a member of the federal Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission. Paul has also served as CEO of Victoria’s Transport Accident Commission. Mr O’Connor’s commitment, passion and advocacy to prevent harm and improve people’s health, well-being and recovery have been the common threads throughout his working life. His ideas for helping people and workplaces thrive have been adopted by many agencies across Australia and overseas.

Rania Saab

Rania Saab is a solicitor employed by Legal Aid NSW. She was born with a moderate to severe hearing impairment and has a passion for levelling the playing field for people with a disability. She has been an advocate for

people with a disability for ten years. Through her work as a solicitor, she advocates for equal access to justice. She has worked with Legal Aid NSW, the courts and the community to set up processes and practices to make the legal system accessible for people with a disability.

Rania is a Director with Deafness Forum of Australia, an organisation that represents and promotes the interests and wellbeing of people who are Deaf or hearing impaired or have a chronic ear disorder. Rania is also a mentor with Hear For You, an organisation that provides a mentoring program which gives guidance and support to hearing impaired teens at a vitally important stage of their lives. A positive outlook, career advice and the skills to cope with the challenging adolescent years are given through a series of workshops.

Rachel Slade

Rachel is General Manager, Global Transactional Services, Westpac Institutional Bank.As a member of Westpac Institutional Bank’s Executive Team, Rachel oversees global transactional services for Westpac’s corporate

and institutions customers. She also manages all payments networks and corporate cash requirements for corporate customers.

Rachel has held a number of roles since joining the Westpac Group in 1999. Key roles include Head of Group Strategy, General Manager Mergers & Acquisitions, Head of International Trade and Payments, Group Head of Diversity and Flexibility, General Manager Business Architecture, Productivity and Process Excellence, General Manager, Multi Brand Optimisation and most recently General Manager Transformation and Delivery.

Prior to joining Westpac, Rachel worked as a financial services strategy consultant with Andersen Consulting.

Throughout her career in both consulting and at Westpac, Rachel has focused on creating and executing successful strategies to drive business transformation.

Rachel holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from Macquarie University, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a graduate of the Harvard Business School’s Women’s Leadership Program. She serves as a director on the Boards of Australian Network on Disability and the Global Banking Alliance for Women (as Treasurer).

Rachel was the Westpac Group’s 2013 General Manager of the Year.


AND MEMBERS 30 JUNE 2014

PLATINUM MEMBERS

» The Australian National University

» Benbro Electronics Pty Ltd

» Compass Group

» Children’s Hospital at Westmead

» IBM Australia Ltd

» McDonald’s Australia

» Sparke Helmore Solicitors

» The Westpac Group

GOLD MEMBERS» ACT Chief Ministers Office

» ANZ

» Attorney-General’s Department

» Australia Post

» Australian Federal Police

» Australian Taxation Office

» Coles Supermarkets

» Cummins South Pacific Pty Ltd

» Department of Agriculture

» Department of Defence

» Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

» Department of Health

» Department of Human Services Department of Industry

» Department of Immigration and Border Protection

» Department of the Prime Minister and

» CabinetDepartment of Social Services

» George Weston Foods Limited

» Manpower Services Australia

» National Australia Bank

» National Disability Insurance Agency

» NSW Family & Community Services

» NSW Department of Police and Justice

» NSW Department of Trade & Investment

» Office of Finance and Services

» PwC

» Safety, Return to Work and Support Division

» Stockland

» Telstra Corporation

» Transport Accident Commission

» Transport for NSW

» University of Sydney

» Victorian WorkCover Authority

» Woolworths Ltd

SILVER MEMBERS» AGL

» Australian Federal Court

» Australian Fisheries Management Authority

» Brisbane City Council

» Carnival Australia

» City of Greater Dandenong Council

» Coca-Cola Amatil

» Comcare

» Department of Communications

» Department of Education

» Department of Employment

» Department of Finance

» Department of Infrastructure & Regional Development

» Employers Mutual Management Pty Ltd

» Henry Davis York

» Legal Aid NSW

» Lend Lease

» Macquarie University

» National Maritime Museum

» Northern Territory Government

» Norton Rose Fulbright

» NSW Department of Education and Communities

» NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet

» Oracle Corporation Australia Pty Ltd

» Origin Energy

» Paxus

» QBE Insurance

» Queensland Treasury Corporation


» Suncorp

» VIC Department of Human Services

» Victoria Police

» Yarra City Council

BRONZE MEMBERS» 2discover

» ABC

» ACT Human Rights Commission

» Austrade

» Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

» Australian Council of Trade Unions

» Australian Financial Security Authority

» Australian Human Rights Commission

» Australian Human Resources Institute

» Australian Public Service Commission

» Australian Red Cross

» Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)

» AustralianSuper

» BEST Employment

» Break Thru People Solutions

» Chandler Macleod Group

» City West Water

» Commonwealth Bank

» CrimTrac

» Deaf Society of NSW

» Deakin University

» Department of Veterans’ Affairs

» Diversity Council Australia

» EPIC Employment Service Inc.

» Ernst & Young

» Fair Work Ombudsman

» Holroyd City Council

» ITCRA

» LBF Consulting

» Life Without Barriers

» Macquarie Group Limited

» Max Employment

» Maxima Group Incorporated

» MEGT

» Mission Australia

» National Library of Australia

» National Museum of Australia

» National Relay Service

» NSW Department of Education & Communities

» State Training Services

» NSW Public Service Commission

» NSW Ombudsman

» Penrith City Council

» PepsiCo Australia and New Zealand

» Programmed

» PWD Australia

» Randstad

» Reserve Bank of Australia

» RMIT

» Royal Australian Mint

» Safe Work Australia

» St Laurence Community Services

» Slater and Gordon Ltd

» Swinburne University of Technology

» Sydney Opera House

» Taste Creative

» Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Limited

» The Centre for Volunteering

» The ORS Group

» Transdev Australasia

» University of New South Wales

» University of Technology, Sydney

» University of Western Sydney

» University of Wollongong

» WISE Employment

» WorkFocus Group

» Work Solutions Gippsland

» Victorian Managed Insurance Authority

» Vision Australia

» Yarra Trams


Employers Making a Difference IncTrading as Australian Network on Disability

ADDRESS: Level 4, 80 Clarence St, Sydney NSW 2000

PHONE: 02 8270 9200

FAX: 02 9262 4815

WEBSITE: www.and.org.au

ABN: 92 456 457 335

Electronic copies of the report, as well as the financial statements, are available by request [email protected] Annual Report is also available in text only format.

Cover art Untitled 2 by Yvonne Stocker, from Studio Artes – an independent, not for profit organisation offering creative programs to adults with disability www.studioartes.com.au

SHARING 2014 Annual Report€¦ · Award for Disability Employment (Aug 2014) » Department of...

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