Jacki Weaver To Help Honour Gay Friendly Workplaces

8 May 2012

Academy Award-nominated actress and Australian entertainment doyen Jacki Weaver will be the guest speaker at Australia's annual awards for gay friendly workplaces.

Academy Award-nominated actress and Australian entertainment doyen Jacki Weaver will be the guest speaker at Australia's annual awards for gay friendly workplaces.

The awards are an initiative of Pride In Diversity, Australia's first and only employer support program for the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the workplace.

Ms Weaver, who has been a vocal supporter of the LGBT community throughout her career, will join Pride In Diversity patron and former High Court judge The Hon. Michael Kirby at the awards luncheon at Sydney's Ivy Ballroom on the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17.

A raft of business and community leaders will also be attending the event.

Pride In Diversity is a program of ACON - NSW's and Australia's largest community-based LGBT health organisation - developed in partnership with Diversity Council Australia - the independent, not-for-profit diversity advisor to business - and London-based LGBT advocacy group Stonewall UK.

The awards are determined using Pride In Diversity's Australian Workplace Equality Index, a free service provided by Pride In Diversity that evaluates and benchmarks LGBT inclusiveness in Australian workplaces.

Pride In Diversity Director Dawn Hough says she's delighted to have Ms Weaver on board.

"Jacki Weaver is a high profile, successful and well respected Australian and a great supporter of the LGBT community and having her endorse the work of Pride In Diversity in this way is a great outcome for the program specifically and for the LGBT community generally," Ms Hough says.

"As well as showcasing the work of Pride In Diversity, the awards luncheon also provides a terrific platform for businesses and organisations to highlight the quality of their diversity practice and for people to network with leaders from the both the public and private sectors."

"So I encourage employers and employees from the business and industry sectors to attend the awards, enjoy a delicious three course lunch, be entertained and inspired by our speakers, and find out how they can help make everyone in their organisation feel valued and supported."

IBM took our the number one spot in last year's Top Ten list which also included the Australian Federal Police, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, Telstra, Accenture, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and Queensland, Western Australia, Macquarie and Curtin universities.

Ms Hough says the work of Pride In Diversity has grown considerably over the last 12 months as more and more businesses see the value of supporting their LGBT employees. Recent new members include ANZ, Westpac, National Australia Bank, Ernst & Young, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, Macquarie Bank, J. P. Morgan, Railcorp the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the Department of Transport (Victoria).

Pride in Diversity would like to thank Gold Sponsor for the 2012 Annual Business Luncheon and Awards Celebration: PwC

What, where, when?

What: Pride In Diversity Business Luncheon and Awards
When: Thursday 17 May, 2012, Arrivals from 12 noon to be seated by 12.30pm, finishes 2:30pm
Where: Ivy Ballroom, Sydney
Cost: $165pp or $2200 for table of 10 (inc. 3 course luncheon) + GST
Info/Bookings: www.prideindiversity.com/awei or (02) 9206 2136

More info

Contact: Pride in Diversity
Tel: (02) 9206 2136
Email: info@prideindiversity.com.au
Visit: www.prideindiversity.com/awei