This article applies to defined entities under the Gender Equality Act 2020 (Vic).

Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023 (Vic)

On 30 September 2023, the Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023 (Vic) commenced, amending the Gender Equality Regulations 2020 (Vic) (the Regulations) to prescribe the method and format for progress reports.

Progress reports – format and progress audit method

In accordance with section 19 of the Gender Equality Act 2020 (Vic), defined entities (being certain types of organisations that have 50 or more employees (including public service entities, public bodies and universities) are required to submit a progress report containing the details outlined by that section.

Relevantly, the progress report must demonstrate the defined entity’s progress within the relevant period in relation to the workplace gender equality indicators. The workplace gender equality indicators are set out in the Act and include, among other things, the gender composition of all levels of the workforce, recruitment and promotion practices within the workplace and sexual harassment in the workplace.

Under the new Regulation 5C, the organisation must use the progress audit method to demonstrate progress against the indicators.

Under the progress audit method, the organisation must:

• collect information relating to the workplace gender equality indicators;
• compare that information with information from the immediately preceding workplace gender audit relating to the workplace gender equality indicators; and
• include in the progress report, in the format (if any) approved by the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner:
  • the information referred to in the first point above; and
  • the results of the comparison referred to in the 2nd point above.

Conclusion

Organisations should ensure that there is a process in place to undertake progress reports in accordance with the progress audit method. In addition, organisations should ensure that their reports are in the prescribed format (if any).