The Star Entertainment Group is proud to be the first hospitality and entertainment organisation to be recognised with a Gold Employer status at the 2022 Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards.
Awarded by Pride in Diversity's Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), the national benchmark for LGBTQ workplace inclusion, the Gold Employer status recognises the highest scoring organisations for their substantial work in supporting LGBTQ team members.
This year, Gold Employers equated to the top 14% of the 172 employers participating in the AWEI.
The Star Entertainment Group’s Interim Chief People a Performance Officer, Paula Hammond said the Gold status was a reflection of the organisation’s commitment to cultivating an environment where team members can be comfortable in being themselves, and all guests feel welcomed.
"In 2016, The Star committed to a target of five percent year-on-year increases in our AWEI scores,” said Ms Hammond. “To have achieved that, and the Gold Employer status is a wonderful testament to the work The Star has done in creating an inclusive workplace for the LGBTQA+ community. “This recognition also demonstrates that our approach to diversity, equity and inclusivity is embedded across the organisation."
The Star has undertaken a variety of initiatives and developed policies to progress LGBTQA+ inclusion that include:
- Introduction of a Gender Affirmation Policy that includes paid leave and additional workplace support
- Installing all gender bathrooms for team members
- An updated uniform policy allowing team members to choose the uniform that best aligns to their gender
- Parental leave policy that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ families
- Mandatory LGBTQIA+ training and an optional ally module
Gaming Operations Supervisor and Proud@TheStar Co-Chair, Craig Dumas added that creating an inclusive and welcoming culture is a priority for the organisation.
“We want our team members and team members to be able to bring their true selves to work, and to know they can express themselves and their personality in a safe environment,” Mr Dumas said. "Although we’ve made great progress across The Star for inclusion of the LGBTQA+ community, there’s still more work to be done. “Through the hard work of more than 300 ally team members who make Proud@TheStar, I’m excited about what the future will bring,” Mr Dumas said.
