Invest in women, accelerate progress: International Women’s Day 2024

This International Women’s Day (IWD), we want to acknowledge and thank the incredible women within our organisation, share valuable insights from Aveo’s women in leadership and highlight Aveo’s focus on gender equality in the workplace. 

We asked the women of our Executive Leadership Team their thoughts about this year’s IWD theme, “Invest in women, accelerate progress” and to tell us about role models who have inspired them throughout their career. 

Bridgid Allsopp, Head of Marketing said, “This year’s theme is more pointed than previous years – and it needs to be. Despite making up over half of the workforce, women hold only 22% of executive roles in Australia. Last week’s release of the gender pay gap data shows women are paid 14.5% less than men on base remuneration. Women have been in the workforce in significant numbers for over 40 years, that’s three working generations. Progress needs to accelerate.” 

The WGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency) recently published the gender pay gaps of nearly 5000 Australian private sector employers. Aveo is proud to report a median gender pay gap of 2.6%, in comparison to the 14.5% median gap across all Australian organisations. 

Our Head of People & Culture, Rolanda Mitchell shared more on this. “At Aveo, our employees are paid equitably for the work they do, and I am proud that our workforce is 70% women, 40% of our Executive Leadership Team are women and the Aveo Board is chaired by a woman.” 

While there is always more that can be achieved within diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, it is fantastic to work for an organisation that is on the right track. 

Natalie Moore, Head of Sales said, “As a female leader, I am proud to work for a company where our leader and our leadership team value diversity in the workplace. I feel fortunate to be able to juggle the demands of a dynamic, busy, and fulfilling workplace with an equally busy and often chaotic family life, showing that while often challenging it can be done.”

Natalie Patterson, Chief Operating Officer said, “I have always objected to the potential perception that I have been appointed to roles because I am female as opposed to being the best person for the role, which no doubt comes from spending a lot of my career in a development company or being told in week one of university in 1992 that none of the women enrolled in the course would get a professional role in the development industry. I have however been fortunate to work for a series of male leaders who have been nothing but supportive and I will be eternally grateful for that. I am also very proud and appreciative of the support and camaraderie amongst the Aveo ELT, in particular from the women I have the opportunity to work with every day.”

Justine Hughes, Chief Care Officer shared about a role model who has inspired her throughout her career. “Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz, previous CEO of Mirvac and current President of Chief Executive Women has inspired me. One thing that stood out for me about Sue was her words on leadership. Sue said you must “walk the talk” as a leader to build the right workplace culture. She said “Your words are nice, but they don’t carry as much weight as what you do. As employees, we’re all very alert to hypocrisy. Not walking the talk is the first thing that breaks trust between you and your people. This stayed with me as it is relevant to any role, in any organisation and I try to practice this in my role as a leader within Aveo.”

On International Women’s Day this year, we’re celebrating a workplace that fosters collaboration, empowerment, and equal opportunity. Thank you for playing your part!