Departmental cultural diversity plans

DE’s CDP identifies 4 focus areas for delivering culturally sensitive services:

• early childhood education participation
• student learning and wellbeing
• intercultural capability in schools
• workforce diversity and professional learning.

The focus areas bring together DE’s work under current strategic reforms to improve outcomes for children and young people with multicultural and multifaith backgrounds.

The 4 objectives of the CDP align with the plan’s focus areas:

• Early childhood education participation: Support improved participation in early childhood education for multicultural, children, families and carers.
• Student learning and wellbeing: Foster a culturally safe and equitable school education system.
• Intercultural capability in schools: Build the intercultural capability of school leaders, teachers and students.
• Workforce diversity and professional learning: Support cultural diversity, equity and inclusion in our early childhood, school education and corporate workforces and promote professional learning.

DE’s Culture, People and Integrity Committee and Executive Board oversee the CDP. DE has established a companion action register to track actions across the CDP’s focus areas. Each CDP action includes an acquittal measure to identify annual progress of CDP services. The CDP’s focus areas and objectives will be assessed by collectively reviewing all actions.

DE provides a range of information and resources to help staff build their knowledge and capability about cultural diversity, including via a well-promoted internal collaboration page. This includes a range of ways that staff and managers can foster cultural competency and tackle racism at work.

The department is a member of Diversity Council Australia. As well as ongoing internal training, DE stages events and provides resources to help staff create a respectful, safe and inclusive workplace.

DE offers the Respectful Workplaces Program as e-learn modules. The modules form part of the staff induction program (in corporate and schools), and DE encourages staff to complete these at regular intervals thereafter. The modules include:

• Respectful workplaces
• Human rights and responsibilities
• Equal opportunities
• Addressing workplace bullying
• Understanding the DE values.

The following modules are also offered to support inclusive workplace behaviours and recruitment practices and to encourage staff to raise concerns when they have them:

• Sexual harassment
• Leading a respectful workplace, addressing concerns, complaints and serious behaviours (for managers)
• Inclusive recruitment
• Anti-racism — a self-paced course provided by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Facilitated training sessions are also available for staff who want to further develop their cultural competence. They include:

• Active bystander training
• Anti-racism empowerment
• Human rights training
• Aboriginal cultural awareness
• Aboriginal cultural safety.

DE has a register of community stakeholders and organisations for consultation on program and policy development. The department has established internal processes for consulting directly with multicultural community stakeholders and organisations.

For example, DE engages and consults with its staff networks including the Women of Colour and the African Australian networks and seeks their guidance on related polices and processes.

DEECA aims to create a culture that embraces individual differences in all forms and fosters innovation and inclusion to support:

• liveable, inclusive and sustainable communities and thriving natural environments
• all staff to achieve their full potential and to work in a flexible way that meets their needs
• a community charter that emphasises the diversity and inclusion values of building enduring and genuine partnerships.

The goals of DEECA’s Strategy are to:

• improve service delivery and decision-making through strong, inclusive leadership and training and development opportunities
• foster attitudes and practices that better support diversity and inclusion
• create opportunities to recruit and retain staff from diverse groups in the community
• adopt an intersectional lens when developing diversity and inclusion initiatives that are fit for purpose in addressing systemic barriers to social cohesion and equity.

The People and Culture Division consults broadly on decisions relating to the strategy including proposed changes to whole of department policies, procedures and processes. Key departmental stakeholders include:

• DEECA’s staff-led networks
• People and Culture’s leadership team and Stewardship Committee
• the Organisational Development Culture Partner Network
• the Executive Board
• the Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, who drives key commitments in the strategy
• 2 voluntary staff-led networks — the Multicultural Network and the Women of Colour Network — to inform and progress the strategy and related action plans.

For an intersectionality lens, DEECA also consults with other staff-led networks, including:

• Place of Pride
• All Abilities Network
• Emerging Professionals Network
• Aboriginal Staff Led Network
• Women in STEM.

The department also confers with broader public service networks.

DEECA delivered the following initiatives to support increased cultural competence:

• promoted diversity and inclusion learning opportunities to new staff through the new starter induction program
• delivered Charter of Human Rights training and resources through the VEOHRC’s Charter Education Program
• delivered the DEECA Women of Colour Network mentoring program
• delivered safe and respectful workplaces training
• provided the Navigating Recruitment e-learn to embed knowledge of bias, discrimination, inclusion and diversity throughout the recruitment and onboarding process
• promoted SBS Inclusion and Cultural Competency training modules for all staff
• offered the Cultural Inclusion Program e-learn via the department’s Learning Management System
• provided the Aboriginal Cultural Safety Training e-learn via the Learning Management System, making it mandatory for all staff.

DEECA’s Community Charter helps the department build better relationships with stakeholders and communities, including:

• Traditional Owner groups
• Aboriginal Victorians
• local councils
• catchment management authorities
• water corporations
• the building industry
• environment groups.

The department uses local networks, processes, tools and resources to improve interactions and engagement in policy planning and to deliver programs and projects.

The Community Charter reflects the department’s unique relationship with First Peoples as rights holders and embodies a strong commitment to self-determination. This requires staff to be culturally capable and safe and to recognise and embrace Aboriginal decision-making.

DEECA aligns its community engagement approach, enabling:

• more confident and effective engagement
• communities to be involved in decisions that interest them
• stronger relationships with multicultural communities
• more informed decision-making.

DEECA also uses Engage Victoria for online consultations. Engage Victoria is the government’s centralised online consultation platform provided by DGS. It offers a range of tools to enable the community to take part in policy and program development and to share their ideas and opinions on a range of issues and topics.

DFFH is a proactive leader in diversity and inclusion. DFFH commits to:

• empowering people to express their identity and to belong
• removing structural and systemic barriers so everyone can reach their full potential in a safe, equitable and respectful workplace
• creating a department that embodies inclusive leadership, celebrates diversity of thought and reflects the diversity of the communities served to better support them.

• DFFH’s leadership profile, governance structures and workforce reflect the community’s diversity, and all staff are accountable for creating an inclusive workplace.
• DFFH empowers the voices of its diverse workforce, values diversity of thought and creates a workplace where all staff are supported to develop and progress their careers.
• Diverse people’s lived experience is core to policy, programs and services, to improve business practices and outcomes for the diverse communities served.
• Culturally safe actions are embedded into systems and practices as the norm, and work environments are accessible and safe, with prevention, early intervention and suitable response to discrimination and inappropriate behaviours.
• DFFH has transparency, accountability and measurable targets to achieve outcomes.

The department’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee focuses on organisational diversity and inclusion, including gender equality.

The committee:

• oversees the Diversity and Inclusion Framework and Gender Equality Action Plan
• ensures DFFH is taking coordinated action and holding itself to account
• oversees the Diversity and Inclusion Framework implementation and acts if progress is not being made
• provides a report to the DFFH Board annually against relevant outcomes, strategies and measures
• authorises changes to the Diversity and Inclusion Framework and implementation plan, in consultation with the diverse staff community of practice.

The committee comprises:

• executive members from each division accountable for progressing diversity, inclusion and gender equality
• staff members from staff networks and other priority groups, including Aboriginal staff, staff with disability, LGBTIQA+ staff, staff from multicultural and multifaith backgrounds and older adult staff.

DFFH is a proactive leader in:

• eliminating all forms of racism
• empowering people to express their identity
• fostering a sense of belonging in the department
• dismantling structural and systemic barriers so everyone can reach their full potential
• ensuring the workplace is psychologically healthy, safe, inclusive and respectful.

The plan aims to build a more inclusive and equitable work environment by addressing systemic and individual racism. It focuses on increasing racial literacy, eliminating bias and enhancing workplace culture. With a commitment to a psychologically safe workplace, it includes reporting mechanisms and data collection to drive informed improvements in fairness and inclusivity across all levels of the organisation.

The plan offers resources and support to help everyone contribute to a more inclusive workplace, focusing on 6 main drivers:

• develop and measure racial literacy
• remove racial bias
• create systems and processes to call out racism
• improve recruitment processes
• strengthen workplace culture
• ensure transparency and accountability.

The plan is reviewed yearly, with progress tabled at the People and Culture subcommittee of the Executive Board. The Action Plan is also a standing item for the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Executive Committee. Progress is monitored through the following channels:

• DFFH People and Culture Committee:
• Yearly paper to the committee on progress as part of the Diversity and Inclusion Framework
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee:
• Review and report on progress at committee meetings every quarter.

The committee may decide to evaluate programs or strategies. These are reported in line with the relevant timetable.

After each report the People and Culture Committee, relevant staff and employee network representatives are updated.

All departmental staff must complete the mandatory Workforce Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Aboriginal Cultural Safety e-learning training. These courses increase staff understanding and knowledge of priority areas for building diverse workforces, including:

• Aboriginal peoples
• people with disabilities
• people from culturally diverse backgrounds
• LGBTIQA+ employees.

Unconscious bias training is given to staff in both e-learning and instructor-led formats.

Anti-racism training is mandatory for people leaders and is delivered in an instructor-led format.

All executives have a diversity performance outcome in their personal development plans to improve diversity and inclusion across the department.

The following projects were completed in 2024–25:

• rolled out multifaith prayer space guidelines
• launched the Multicultural Staff Network
• developed the Lived Experience Policy Guide
• developed and began rolling out dedicated Anti-racism & Diversity and Inclusion workshops
• delivered People Leader Training to more than 1,000 staff to build capability and accountability.

The department has established a Multicultural Staff Network and Women of Colour Network. Key members of employee-led networks are supported by a senior Executive Champion to drive organisational inclusion.

DFFH supports culturally diverse communities to make decisions through policies, guidelines and approaches. This includes:

• consulting with stakeholders on policy and program design
• developing in-language resources
• ensuring translators are provided where required
• supporting bicultural workers to engage with communities
• building the capacity of departmental staff to better engage diverse communities.

DFFH launched the Diverse Women in Leadership Fast Track Program in 2024. The program aims to strengthen the leadership of diverse women working across DFFH with 2 streams — manager and executive. It is designed to support the careers of diverse women and to elevate their impact on our organisation and on the communities served. Key elements of the one-year program are:

• on-the-job learning and skills development
• executive mentoring
• senior leader shadowing or project shadowing
• one-on-one career coaching sessions
• support to create a customised leadership development plan
• an opportunity to take on an acting role at the next VPS level for the last 6 months of the program.

At the end of the program, participants should have:

• built on the foundations of strong leadership skills
• developed rational approaches to building a leadership profile that uncovers their values, skills, cultural knowledge and capabilities
• developed vision and leadership approaches that support and lead to innovation, confidence and capability to perform at the manager or executive level
• first-hand, significant and on-the-job experience at the VPS-6 level for VPS-5 participants and at the executive level for VPS-6 participants.

In 2024–25, 10 participants took part in the program.

DH’s vision is that Victorians are the healthiest people in the world. To achieve this, DH has developed its Multicultural Health Action Plan 2023–27. The plan’s vision is to ensure multicultural communities can access culturally competent health care and experience equitable health outcomes.

The plan has 6 improvement goals:

• Invest in targeted policies, programs and services that improve health equity.
• Design and deliver accessible and culturally competent mainstream policies, programs and services.
• Provide language services and accessible communications.
• Strengthen community engagement, capacity building and lived experience representation.
• Enhance cultural competency through workforce capability and inclusive leadership.
• Build evidence-based approaches through data, research and evaluation.

Improvement goals are interconnected. Collective advancement across all goals is essential to improve health outcomes for multicultural communities and to achieve the department’s vision.

The department’s Executive Board oversees the plan, including ensuring it is embedded in core business.

DH implements workforce strategies to build a diverse workforce that reflects the community it serves. These strategies also aim to create a positive, inclusive and culturally competent workplace to create a comfortable and productive environment for staff.

All staff must complete ‘Creating an inclusive, respectful, culturally and psychologically safe workplace’ e-learning training. This course increases understanding and knowledge of priority areas for building diverse workforces, including:

• diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in everyday interactions
• recognising and responding to workplace bullying
• understanding each person’s role in preventing sexual harassment
• knowing what to do if faced with inappropriate behaviour
• Aboriginal cultural safety (mandatory for all staff)
• unconscious bias training.

Staff can access 5 cultural competency education sessions covering topics that reflect the plan’s improvement goals and good practice principles including across the following domains:

• providing language services, accessible communications and translation
• strengthening community engagement, capacity building and lived experience
• enhancing cultural competency through workforce capability.

DH engages multicultural communities to shape the programs and policies that impact them as consumers, carers and communities through a range of approaches. This includes:

• consulting stakeholders on policy and program design
• developing in-language resources
• ensuring translations are provided where required
• supporting bicultural workers to engage with communities
• building the capacity of staff to better engage diverse communities.

DH also facilitated the CALD Health Advisory Group, which met quarterly in 2024–25. The group:

• advised on public health policy, research, programs and services, as well as current and emerging issues impacting multicultural communities
• advised and supported emergency preparedness, response and social recovery efforts
• helped deliver public health messages and advised on best practice for communication and engagement with multicultural and multifaith communities.

The action plan’s vision is to:

• foster a culturally diverse and inclusive workplace that reflects the sectors and communities it works with
• provide inclusive service delivery to culturally diverse clients and communities that fosters greater inclusion in Victoria’s economy.

The plan has 3 goals:

• Leadership: Leaders will champion the CDP to foster engagement at all levels. We will all support cultural diversity through ownership at all levels.
• Information building: We will build our understanding of internal cultural diversity. We will build our understanding of the cultural diversity of the communities we work with.
• A culturally diverse workforce: We will support opportunities to grow cultural diversity at all levels of the organisation. Our workforce will reflect the communities we work with.

The Executive Director, People and Culture, oversees the CDP, which is part of the department’s Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Framework. The Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Committee, a subcommittee of the Executive Board, monitors the framework’s progress.

All staff are encouraged to develop cultural competence through professional development opportunities.

In 2024–25 cultural competence training opportunities included:

• a cultural competence e-learning program on the DJSIR learning management system
• online cultural diversity courses from LinkedIn Learning
• presentations and panel discussions organised by the staff-led People of Colour Network.

All hiring managers and selection panels must complete online unconscious bias training before conducting job interviews.

DJSIR’s CDP requires that all business areas consult with the community when evaluating programs and services, including by:

• consulting with culturally diverse communities and advisory boards when making decisions about programs, policies and services that directly affect culturally diverse communities
• using available demographic and service data on cultural diversity to support decision-making for programs, policies and service delivery
• embedding cultural diversity considerations when designing, implementing and evaluating policies, programs and services.

DJSIR aims to improve diverse representation in leadership by:

• affirming the department’s commitment to diversity, inclusion and flexibility in all job advertisements
• requiring all panel members to complete unconscious bias and best practice recruitment training
• prompting hiring managers to select a balanced panel that reflects the diversity of the candidate pool
• requiring rigorous candidate assessment processes in line with VPS merit and equity principles
• applying the Diversity on Victorian Government Boards Guidelines when recruiting board members
• delivering inclusive leadership development programs for culturally diverse staff aspiring to progress their careers
• improving understanding of workforce diversity by encouraging staff to complete the annual anonymous People Matter Survey and self-identify their diversity details in the confidential HR system
• analysing diversity data and partnering with the department’s staff-led People of Colour Network to identify workplace barriers and implement improvements.

Progress in 2024–25 included:

• improving representation of culturally and racially marginalised staff at the VPS-5 level, from 26% in the 2024 People Matter Survey to 31% in 2025
• discussing diversity issues, trends and committing to actions in executive committees, including a project to increase understanding of diversity across the executive workforce
• providing 32 culturally responsive career coaching sessions to staff from multicultural backgrounds through a tailored Employee Assistance Program pilot
• delivering a pilot leadership development program for 15 culturally diverse staff aspiring to progress to more senior roles
• evaluating leadership and coaching pilots to inform evidence-based actions for the upcoming Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Action Plan.

A justice and community safety system that is inclusive, equitable, culturally responsive and values people from multicultural and multifaith communities.

The plan has 6 priority focus areas:

• Improving data: Improve the collection and analysis of client and staff experiences to ensure evidence-based reform of systems, structures and practices, and improve outcomes for people from multicultural and multifaith communities.
• Building capability and capacity: Enhance departmental capability and capacity to create a more inclusive and equitable culture and environment for clients and staff.
• Equitable pathways to career development and leadership: Support career pathways and opportunities for progression and development for staff from multicultural and multifaith communities.
• Creating a safer, empowering and inclusive culture: Build an organisational culture and justice and community safety system where people from multicultural and multifaith communities feel safe, respected, included and valued.
• Partnering with communities to build stronger policies and programs: Partner with communities in a robust and appropriate way to ensure policies, programs and services are designed and delivered to the intended outcomes.
• Cultural responsiveness and inclusion are built into all programs and services: Build inclusive and culturally responsive programs, services and systems so the department achieves its intended outcomes for clients from multicultural and multifaith communities.

DJCS’s Inclusion and Intersectionality team is responsible for the plan. The team liaises with business units on implementation, monitoring and reporting against plan activities.

The department set up a governance structure in early 2024 to oversee diversity strategies, including the plan. The structure includes a Senior Executive Steering Committee and an officer-level working group to oversee implementation. The structure supports a holistic approach to embedding intersectionality across DJCS while meeting commitments under each strategy.

Role-specific training such as induction programs, mandatory e-learning and professional development programs include cultural competency and awareness training. Topics include cultural diversity and human rights awareness. Other available learning includes unconscious bias and building multicultural relationships.

Learning programs are promoted via the monthly Justice Learning newsletter and in people leader communications. Leaders can assign programs to staff and staff can opt in via the Learning Management System.

Cultural competence training is also being embedded at the branch level. For example, the Victim Services, Support and Reform branch introduced a Workforce Capability Framework to reflect the specialist skills and knowledge required of its workforce.

DJCS has an engagement framework that supports its commitment to a just and safe Victoria. The framework ensures the department engages with its stakeholders in a consistent, meaningful, effective and inclusive way, reflecting DJCS’s commitment to embedding partnerships throughout the justice and community safety system.

DPC’s workforce is inclusive and reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. DGS supports DPC to develop, implement, monitor and report on its commitments under workforce inclusion.

DPC is committed to diversity, inclusion and equity to ensure all people:

• are treated with dignity and respect
• have equitable access to employment opportunities and outcomes
• can take part in all aspects of work life
• can achieve their full potential.

Across the various diversity and inclusion plans, the department aims for:

• visible leadership and accountability for diversity and inclusion
• attracting, developing and retaining a diverse, gender-balanced and talented workforce
• creating a safe (including culturally safe), respectful and inclusive workplace
• facilitating and promoting a flexible and accessible workplace
• measuring, monitoring and reporting on diversity and inclusion.

DPC is committed to implementing a diversity, equity and inclusion strategy underpinned by strong leadership, governance, accountability and reporting. Strategy implementation is a shared responsibility that requires a collaborative effort across the department:

• The Board of Management drives the strategic direction for diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Executive Champions provide visible leadership for diversity, equity and inclusion and champion diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
• People Committees coordinate the monitoring and implementation of department-led actions.
• DGS People and Culture coordinates the monitoring and implementation of People and Culture–led actions and reports on progress against the strategy.
• Groups/Divisions integrate diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives into their annual business plans to support implementation.

The DGS People and Culture team offers opportunities for staff to: 

• understand their rights and responsibilities to create an inclusive environment free from negative behaviours, including discrimination and harassment, and how to report negative behaviours in the workplace 
• understand the complex and varied experiences of diverse communities 
• identify and address unconscious bias and their effect on work practices and decisions 
• understand and embed the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities in their work
• build First Peoples cultural competency.

In developing the strategy, DGS People and Culture engaged with staff experiences in a variety of ways:

• an analysis of 2024 People Matter Survey data related to diversity cohorts
• a series of workshops available to all staff
• a workshop with the Combined Enablers Network
• workshops specifically for culturally diverse staff
• interviews with various Executive Champions for diverse cohorts
• playback workshops with staff to co-design and prioritise actions.

Inclusion is embedded into DTP’s workplace culture so staff feel a sense of belonging and are empowered to contribute fully to the organisation’s success. DTP represents the rich and diverse needs of the Victorian community.

Goals include the following:

• Leader awareness/participation: Leaders attend awareness-raising initiatives such as training and events.
• Employee understanding: Staff recognise bias, stereotypes, exclusion and inappropriate behaviour and feel confident to take effective bystander action.
• Employee engagement: People who identify as belonging to one of 5 priority diversity groups are equally engaged as the overall workforce.
• Workforce composition: The workforce reflects the diversity of the Victorian community.
• Absenteeism, resignations, promotions, seniority: The proportion of staff from the 5 priority diversity groups mirrors overall trends for the department.
• Zero tolerance towards bullying and discrimination: A decrease in the number of bullying and discrimination complaints (both formal and informal) is achieved over the duration of the strategy.
• Benchmarking results: DTP’s rankings in national benchmarking indexes improve over the duration of the strategy (such as the Australian Workplace Equality Index, the Australian Network on Disability’s Access and Inclusion Index and Diversity Council of Australia’s Inclusion@YourWork Index).
• Community perception: DTP is seen as an employer of choice for people from the 5 priority diversity groups. DTP’s services are relevant and responsive to the needs of the Victorian community.
• Intersectional lens: DTP works towards staff applying an intersectional lens to their work (for example, an audit of the DTP website shows the information is accessible to people with disability and people who speak a language other than English).

The Inclusion and Organisational Development branch partners with a variety of internal stakeholders to help implement and track progress against DTP’s aim of creating a more inclusive and diverse workplace culture.

DTP previously reported to an Inclusion and Diversity Council. This helped accelerate the strategy’s impact and encourage collaborative work to address problems and remove individual, organisational and systemic barriers. Going forward, a new Inclusion and Diversity Implementation Committee will oversee delivery of actions under DTP’s new Inclusion, Equity, Diversity and Belonging Strategy. 

From July 2020, core foundation training called ‘Inclusion fundamentals and unconscious bias’ has been delivered to DTP staff. This 5-hour training includes modules on:  

• unconscious bias 
• bystander action and inclusive leadership 
• fostering cultural humility 
• cultural awareness 
• the impact of racism on culturally diverse staff in the workplace.  

DTP encourages staff to complete e-learning modules on cultural competency. The Cultural Diversity e-learning module covers key topics, including:  

• cross-cultural communication — navigating conversations and interactions with people from diverse cultural backgrounds 
• cultural adaptation — understanding how cultural differences influence behaviour and learning how to adapt 
• population trends and their impact — exploring demographic shifts and implications for society and the workplace.  

Staff have other training opportunities through LinkedIn Learning courses that complement internal programs, such as: 

• cultivating cultural competency 
• supporting allyship and anti-racism at work.  

These modules provide foundational knowledge to build more inclusive and respectful work environments.

Community engagement includes multicultural communities affected by departmental decisions. DTP uses the International Association of Public Association’s spectrum of public participation and a range of engagement methods, including: 

• social media 
• website project updates 
• surveys 
• community meetings 
• consultation committees 
• translator services.  

In developing workforce-focused policies, processes and programs, feedback and contributions are sought from the CALD Employee-led Network (Employee Resource Group) to ensure lived experience input.

DTF’s Diversity and Inclusion Framework aims to embed a diverse and inclusive culture across the department that reflects the diversity of the Victorian population.

The framework complements other whole of government initiatives including the Getting to Work disability employment plan and the Barring Djinang Aboriginal employment plan.

The framework has 6 goals:

• acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land across Victoria, value self-determination for Aboriginal peoples and support reconciliation
• remove barriers so people with disability can fully participate and excel
• promote a culture of gender equity, diversity and respect where people of all genders are supported to succeed
• ensure the LGBTIQA+ community is visibly recognised and included
• celebrate cultural, religious and linguistic diversity, and create a workforce that reflects the diverse Victorian community served
• enable people of all ages to participate and pursue career development opportunities.

DTF’s People Committee oversees the framework. This committee reports to the DTF Board.

All staff complete mandatory training on ensuring fair workplaces, preventing sexual harassment, the code of conduct and human rights and disability awareness as part of corporate induction.

The department supports its staff to take part in employee-led networks. These networks give staff an opportunity to connect with peers across the public service and improve cultural capabilities.

DTF consults with key stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to monitor and evaluate programs.

DGS is committed to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace where all people feel like they belong, are treated with dignity and respect, have equitable access to employment opportunities and outcomes and can achieve their full potential.

The roadmap outlines DGS’s commitment to a safe, diverse, equitable and inclusive working environment that:

• acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land across Victoria, values self-determination for Aboriginal people, provides a culturally safe work environment and supports reconciliation
• removes barriers so people with disability and their carers can fully take part and reach their full potential
• promotes a culture of gender equity, diversity and respect where people of all genders are supported to succeed
• ensures the LGBTIQA+ community is visibly recognised and included
• celebrates cultural, religious and linguistic diversity and creates a workforce that reflects the diversity of the Victorian community
• enables people of all ages, and with various caring responsibilities, to take part and pursue career development.

DGS prioritises inclusion and accessibility.

This includes:

• visible leadership and accountability
• attracting, retaining and developing a diverse and culturally safe workforce
• ensuring equity in the workplace
• creating a respectful, inclusive and safe workforce
• measurement, progress and reporting.

In 2024–25 the Deputy Secretary, Corporate Shared Services had oversight of the roadmap.

Progress was monitored using DGS employee data and annual People Matter Survey data.

Reporting on progress was undertaken via the:

• DGS Board of Management
• DGS Annual Report
• Public Accounts and Estimates Committee
• Victorian Secretaries Board, via a consolidated report coordinated by the Victorian Public Sector Commission on progress against the Getting to Work plan
• Self-Determination Reform Framework.

DGS provides opportunities for staff to:

• understand their rights and responsibilities to create an inclusive environment free from negative behaviours, including discrimination and harassment, and how to report negative behaviours in the workplace
• understand the complex and varied experiences of diverse communities
• identify and address unconscious bias and its effect on work practices and decisions
• understand and embed the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities in their work
• build First Peoples cultural competency.

These opportunities were available through several means, including mandatory e-learns, department- and VPS-wide webinars, Employee Hub and Manager Hub content and LinkedIn Learning courses.

DGS consults with staff, leaders and other stakeholders in developing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In developing the new Diversity Equity and Inclusion Strategy for launch in 2026, DGS People and Culture engaged in broad consultation to better understand the experience and needs of the diverse workforce, including through:

• an analysis of 2024 People Matter Survey data related to diversity cohorts
• a series of workshops available to all staff
• a workshop with the Combined Enablers Network
• workshops specifically for culturally diverse staff
• interviews with various Executive Champions for diverse cohorts
• playback workshops with staff to co-design and prioritise actions.