Diversity and inclusion (D&I) practitioners from across sectors gathered at The Australian National University (ANU) on Friday 31 October for Diversity Council Australia’s (DCA) Key Contact Community Forum in Canberra.
Hosted by the ANU College of Systems and Society and its Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access (IDEA) Committee, the forum provided a valuable opportunity for D&I practitioners to exchange ideas, explore new approaches to inclusion, and strengthen relationships in their networks.
Throughout the morning, attendees participated in interactive sessions covering DCA’s membership, educational offerings, research programs, and special initiatives. It featured presentations by:
- Han Bailey (she/her), Marketing & Member Engagement Director, DCA
- Dr Rose D’Almada-Remedios (she/her), Head of Research, DCA, and
- Phoebe Mwanza (she/her), Head of Education, DCA.
The sessions highlighted DCA’s latest research and initiatives, while peer-sharing discussions encouraged participants to exchange experiences and practical strategies for embedding inclusion across their organisations.
Associate Professor Xiaolin (Shannon) Wang, Associate Dean IDEA at the College, reflected on the value of the day’s conversations.
“What made the day so powerful was hearing how organisations are tackling common challenges – from sustaining D&I momentum through change to ensuring inclusion is everyone’s responsibility,” says Wang.
“It’s inspiring to see the collective commitment to advancing equity and belonging in our workplaces.”
Participants explored key themes shaping D&I practice, including:
- maintaining D&I momentum through organisational change and shifting priorities
- embedding inclusion as a shared responsibility, not the work of one team or person
- developing practitioner capability amid increasing compliance and training demands
- balancing ambition and capacity within employee networks
- shifting focus from diversity categories to lived experience and storytelling
- exploring monthly D&I themes as an alternative to traditional diversity pillars, and
- leveraging expert groups and employee networks to enhance internal capability and increase impact.
Peer discussions highlighted practical challenges and successes – from engaging employee networks to demonstrating the impact of inclusion initiatives to leadership. Participants also discussed strategies for overcoming barriers to inclusion, balancing ambition versus capacity developing frameworks to measure impact, and strengthening cross-organisational collaboration.
The College extends its warm thanks to DCA, and to Lee-Anne McGuiness, Senior Adviser IDEA at the College, for facilitating such an insightful and collaborative event. Many thanks to all participants for their contributions towards building more inclusive workplaces and communities.
Want to chat more about diversity and inclusion at our College? We’d love to hear from you at inclusion.css@anu.edu.au