Diversity and Inclusion Management at Woolworths

Student’s Last Name 1
Management Accounting
By (Name)
Course
Professor
University
Date

Student’s Last Name 2
Introduction
Having more than 3,000 stores in New Zealand as well as Australia, Woolworth provides
customers with products such as food, general merchandise, liquor, home improvement, petrol,
as well as hotels. The company focuses on creating a lively and an inclusive workplace for its
employees, thus ensuring that the staff feels appreciated regardless of their ethnicity, disability,
gender identity, age, beliefs, and sexual orientation. After the company measured and set targets,
it took the action of improving women representation in the executive as well as the management
roles, - for instance, in 2014, the organization attained a target of having 33% leadership roles
(within two levels below the company’s CEO)-taken by women. Nonetheless, Woolworth
focuses on creating job opportunities for indigenous Australians. In addition, the organization
supports its staff or potential employees that have disabilities, - Woolworths progressively
supports its potential staff by closely working with the Australian Network on Disability to make
sure that its recruitment system takes into consideration the disabled- along with promoting age
diversity. The discussion provides an insight into a diversity policy adopted by Woolworths
along with its implementation strategy to make sure that there are diversity and inclusion.
1. Are the leaders committed to diversity and inclusion management that is evident in
the policy/procedure?
There is a significant demographic change that is taking place in Australia. As a result,
Woolworth’s customers are continuously concerned, arguing that the best type of customer
experience is associated with receiving excellent customer services that are offered by people
who reflect their communities. The company’s leadership is committed to diversity and inclusion
by working to attract as well as retain a diverse workforce by ensuring there is a strong customer

Student’s Last Name 3
focus through the provision of a safe, engaging, along with the equitable working environment.
Woolworth and its leaders seek to make sure that all its staff feels valued and respected within
the work environment irrespective of their beliefs, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or
even gender identity. In light with this, to show the leadership commitment in enhancing
diversity, in 2015-2016, Woolworth’s leaders reviewed the company’s strategies as well as goals
to make sure that they brace a culture of diversity and inclusion (Bentley, Callier and Rotimi,
2017, pp.261). As Brad Banducci, Woolworth’s CEO puts it, the organization is purpose-led and
progressively evaluates all the decisions made through this lens to ensure that the decisions either
benefit the communities, employees, or teams.
2. What diversity strategies are incorporated into the policy and organizational
structure?
Woolworth Group is comprised of several groups of businesses which are brought
together by a common purpose. The organization values diversity and in its strategy, Woolworth
embraces targets that support diversity, tolerance, and respect (Theodorakopoulos and Budhwar,
2015, pp.182). Some of the diversity and inclusion evident in the company’s policy include:
Promoting gender equity: The policy states that at least 40% of the executive, as well as
the senior management positions, are to be occupied by women. In addition, there should be no
wage gap between male and female who occupy the same positions.
Embracing diversity: 100% of the individuals responsible for hiring staff should undergo
a conscious bias training (Chartediversite.lu, 2019). All individuals are entitled to encourage
cultural diversity such that by 2020, the company should reflect the communities that they serve.

Student’s Last Name 4
Support aboriginal as well as Torres Strait Islander employment: The number of
employees and indigenous graduates should equal the Federal Government Employment Parity
Contract.
Creating a safe environment: Woolworths remains committed to ensuring that the
workplace that safeguards the team members, visitors, including customers’ health and
wellbeing.
Creating opportunities for everyone: Woolworths focuses on attaining a gold tier
employer status within the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) for the LGBT
community.
3. What roles do leaders play to create a supportive organizational clime and culture
within the policy structure? (E.g. do they communicate their policy/strategy clearly with their
employees by any means? And/or do they think about any change?).
Woolworth leaders play different roles in creating a supportive organizational culture.
For instance, the Board of Directors is responsible for developing diversity-related quantifiable
objectives for the organization. The People Policy Committee is responsible for conducting an
annual analysis of these objectives to determine their progress (Woolworthsgroup.com.au, 2019).
The People Policy Committee reports to the Board of Directors as well as makes appropriate
recommendations. The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Chief People Officer monitor the
progress of the diversity objectives (Business-humanrights.org, 2019). Nonetheless, they report
to the People Policy Committee regarding the efficiency of diversity strategies, along with the
advancement against measurable objectives. The company’s steering committee develops
recommendations for the diversity-related strategies, monitors, as well as evaluates their