New national standard launched in bold push to build the foundations of belonging in Australian workplaces

Key Facts:

• The Welcoming Workplaces Standard, a new national framework focused on inclusion and belonging, was launched at the Welcoming Australia Symposium in Adelaide, providing Australian employers with a practical, peer-reviewed benchmark to strengthen inclusive workplace practices.
• The framework shifts focus from whether employees are ready for the workplace to whether employers are prepared to welcome, retain and support a diverse workforce, addressing issues such as workforce shortages, skills gaps and barriers faced by migrant, refugee and Pacific workers.
• Developed by Welcoming Australia, the standard aims to make the Social element of ESG as measurable and rigorous as Environmental and Governance standards, positioning inclusion as both a social responsibility and a smart business strategy.
• The launch highlighted opportunities to strengthen employer-community partnerships, drawing on existing initiatives such as the Mayoral Alliance for the Pacific, which supports collaboration around Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility Scheme (PALM).