How businesses can UNITE to end violence against women.
Today the United Nations commemorates The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and marks the launch of the UNITE campaign which runs over 16 days from 25 November – 10 December.
The initiative, launched in 2008 by the UN Secretary-General and managed by UN Women, aims to address the blight of violence against women and girls around the world – calling on governments, society, the private sector, media and the UN to join forces to take global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.
How does this relate to us in corporate Australia?
Apart from the detrimental toll on womens’ lives – the cost of violence is high, and increasing, in Australia. According to PwC it is estimated that violence against women costs $21.7 billion a year, with victims bearing the primary burden of this cost. Let that sink in. From an economic, let alone a human perspective, it’s too high a price to pay. Which is why we need to assess whether we’re doing enough.
A societal problem that’s also a business problem…
Of these women, most (62%) who have experienced or are currently experiencing domestic and family violence are in the paid workforce.
And often businesses lack the capability internally to take action – with over 30% of business owners reporting they did not feel, ‘well equipped as leaders to help a worker facing domestic abuse, or to manage the potential negative impact on the organisation’. Which suggests there’s immense headroom for change.
What role can my business play?
While the issue has not been within the purview of organisations in the past – today it’s widely recognised that businesses can play an instrumental role in addressing gendered violence.
The Champions of Change Coalition’s ‘Playing our Part’ Framework points to 4 key ways organisations can take action:
Supporting employees experiencing domestic and family violence
Responding to employees who are or may be using domestic and family violence
Contributing to the prevention of domestic and family violence by progressing gender and other forms of equality
Extending the organisational responses to reach clients, customers and local communities.
How is my business positioned to address gendered violence?
To know how you’re positioned – it may be helpful to take our quick self-assessment to understand where your organisation is at:
✅ ❎ Policy: Do you have a domestic violence policy in place?
✅ ❎ Supports: Do you offer any of the following supports to employees who experience domestic violence: Paid leave or unpaid domestic violence leave, ability to transfer to a different location, EAP, medical support, emergency accommodation, financial support, flexible work arrangements, protection from adverse action or discrimination, confidentiality of disclosure, or referral to support services?
✅ ❎ Training: Do you provide training to your people teams and leaders on how to support employees experiencing domestic abuse in the workplace?
✅ ❎ Planning: Do you conduct workplace safely planning sessions to prepare your people to address instances of domestic violence?
If you answered no to most of these questions, you may want to start planning how you, as an organisation, can do more to be there to support people experiencing abuse. Remember, you can’t change what you can’t see, and action starts with awareness.
What can my business do to show support for UNITE?
Here are some handy thought-starters for how your organisation can UNITE to take action to end violence:
Promote the cause: Host a session for all your people to raise awareness of the issue and how they can participate in UNITE Activism.
Raise much-needed funds: Feature UNITE as a candidate for giving, in your Employee Giving Scheme over the month of November/December. Consider matching employee contributions dollar for dollar, or hosting a fund raising event.
Raise awareness of available support: Already have policies, benefits or initiatives that support people experiencing violence? Now’s a great time to raise awareness of the support that’s available.
Raise awareness of the issue in your organisation: Invite a guest speaker (who has expertise in the area) to address your people. Be sure to prepare a clear brief for your speaker. Consider what your people and business will benefit from, and what will have the greatest resonance and impact.
Where can I get help?
If you or someone you know is in crisis, these resources can help:
In immediate danger? Call: 000
1800 Respect National Helpline: 1800 737 732
Women's Crisis Line: 1800 811 811
Men's Referral Service: 1300 766 491
Mensline: 1300 789 978
Lifeline: 131 114
Need help with a strategy or action plan to support people experiencing violence in your business?
Reach out to us at hello@equidi.com for a confidential chat.
