There's no us without you.
We’re on a journey to a more inclusive workplace - one that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve, where all of our people feel valued for who they are, celebrated for their contributions and able to bring their whole selves to work.
Why? It’s not just to tick a box… but because it’s the right thing to do.
We believe inclusive workplaces are created for everyone by everyone. At every level, in every role, in every department. Every single person here has a role to play.
There’s so much opportunity to ensure our people feel they truly belong with us.
"They've really embraced that I have a profound hearing loss, but it has not been obvious. They don't take any notice of it - and when I've asked for support, they're just really kindhearted people."
- Christina Roy, Workspace Design and Strategic Lead
We want our workforce to be a reflection of the communities we serve.
Here are some of our priorities to make sure that Urban Utilities is a place our people are proud to work.
Gender Diversity
Equality in the workplace will be achieved when all employees, regardless of gender or gender identity are able to access the same rewards, resources and opportunities. We are proud to be recognized as an employer of choice for women by WORK180.
The breakdown of our gender diversity:
And when we talk leadership we're leaders in our field:
- We have a nearly 50/50 split between males and females in our senior enterprise leadership team
- Our board has more female representation including our female Chair
Find out more about how we're inspiring women to break into male-dominated industries.
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Participation
Respect for the rich cultures, knowledge and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples enables us to recognise and respect the contribution they have made, and continue to make, to our community.
We have made significant progress with our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan:
- Greater governance including a RAP Steering Committee
- Cultural learning strategy and related program to build cultural competence
- Acknowledgement of Country education and supporting activities and tools
- Head Office room imagery and signage
- Review of HR / recruitment policies and procedures
- Improved procurements initiatives to support an increase in First Nations business spend
- Employment initiatives including Career Trackers and Supply Nation agencies
- Traditional Owner engagement
- Developing a First Nations Human Rights Position Statement to transform and align our investment across I-ESG, Human Rights, Reconciliation and Cultural Heritage Management
- Developing First Nation Community Engagement Protocols
Despite these achievements, only a small percentage of our workforce currently identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. So we are continuing to look at ways we can increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees in our organisation, and encourage confidential identification in our HR system.
Download our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
LGBTQIA+ Inclusion
We want to ensure our people feel valued and respected at work - regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. We also encourage others to be informed and to become allies to the LGBTQIA+ community including joining our Urban Pride reference group or becoming part of our ally network.
There is a lot of work to be done in the space, and we are excited to proudly stand beside our LGBQTIA+ community.
Geraldine Terada-Bellis is an operations engineer with us. She co-founded Urban Utilities’ Pride Network and is constantly pushing for industry diversity through representation. Read more about Geraldine’s amazing work here.
Cultural Diversity
Customers in our service regions identify with over 270 ancestries and heritages from across the globe. This rich cultural diversity found in our community is one of the greatest strengths we have as an organisation. That’s why we work proactively to make our workplaces welcoming for people of all cultures – for example, by having a prayer and meditation room at our Duncan St office.
Valuing other cultures helps us understand different perspectives within the world in which we live. It helps dispel negative stereotypes and personal biases about different groups and helps us recognise and respect “ways of being” that are not necessarily our own.
Inclusion of People of All Abilities (People Living with Disability)
Our goal is to provide a safe and accessible workplace for everyone. One where people feel comfortable being open about any disability or barrier they face, so we as an organisation can support them.
We’re focused on improving the employment outcomes for people living with disability. This includes identifying any barriers or hurdles to inclusion and developing actions to remove them.
We’re also ensuring:
- Consistent accessibility across all locations;
- The recruitment and selection process is equitable and accessible to all candidates;
- All internet and intranet content meets Australian Accessibility Standards;
- We’ll have a Disability Inclusion Action Plan, lodged with the Australian Human Rights Commission to hold ourselves accountable.
Hear from our Workspace Design and Strategic Lead Christina Roy about evolving our workspaces, and how she feels respected and valued at work.
Career Lifecycle
When we have a diversity of ages in the workforce, we benefit from a mix of life experience. It strengthens us. We need to understand the changing needs of individuals as they move through their career journey and ensure that any age biases or stereotypes are addressed.
Initiatives that we support include:
- Graduate Programs
- Internships
- Traineeships
- Returned Services Personnel
- Young Water Professionals
Flexibility
Supporting working families in their various forms is important to us. We know that life doesn’t stop during work hours, so we offer a range of flexibility options to support work/life balance and meet the diverse requirements of our people.
Depending on the business and role requirements this may include flexibility about where, how, or when the work is delivered.
Some options that our people take advantage of include:
- Ability to work from home or other sites
- Rostered days off
- Compressed work weeks
- Variable start times
- Ability to purchase additional leave
"It’s about finding the right workplace. One that genuinely gives you opportunities and supports and understands working parents. And it’s looking for a workplace that doesn’t care just about women’s needs but about people’s wellbeing in general."
- Gemma Weatherley, Head of Product Customer Intelligence