Port Macquarie Hastings Council (PMHC) was recognised for its commitment to employment diversity and inclusion at the recent Minister's Awards for Women in Local Government – winning the Employment Diversity Award (Regional/Rural).
Established in 2008, the Ministers' Awards for Women in Local Government recognise female councillors and council staff who make invaluable contributions to improve the lives of the people they represent and serve. It recognises the outstanding efforts of women at the grassroots level of government in metropolitan and regional/rural councils.
"This is testament to the work we've been doing to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace. We are creating an environment where all our employees can participate, contribute, and succeed," PMHC Group Manager for People, Safety and Performance Louise Perry said.
The award recognises PMHC's efforts to increase the number of females in senior leadership roles. PMHC provided an opportunity for a female senior leader to mentor several female employees through the Rural Management Challenge (RMC), a professional development program designed for council staff in rural and regional areas.
The female employees who participated in the challenge have now been identified in succession plans and have had the opportunity to step into higher duties obtaining experience in senior level roles.
PMHC was also represented by its People, Safety and Performance team of Ashlee Weigel, Bree Scaysbrook and Louise Perry at the 2024 Australian HR Awards last Friday in Sydney. Nominated as an Excellence Awardee finalist for the Best Workplace Diversity & Inclusion Program, the organisation was competing against a list of major private and public sector companies including Coca-Cola,Sydney Water,TAFE NSWand CyberCX.
While a win was not forthcoming, Ms Perry said she was proud of the team involved in developing the Diversity program and was honoured to represent an organisation recognised at the elite level for fostering a supportive, inclusive and diverse working culture.
"Diversity and inclusion are not just buzzwords but integral components of our approach to consistently improve our workplace culture," she said. They are integrated into the employee experience at PMHC.
This recognition is also a reminder that we have an opportunity to set a standard for excellence and equality in our community."
