Our gender equity, diversity and inclusion commitments

Great science happens when everyone has the opportunity to contribute. At the Baker Institute, we are committed to building a workplace where people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences feel genuinely welcome — and where talent is recognised and supported at every stage of a career.

Our commitment

The Baker Institute's Gender Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (GEDI) Committee was established in 2014 to drive meaningful, lasting change across our organisation. While almost 50 per cent of science graduates in Australia are women, only a fraction go on to hold senior academic positions. We are determined to be part of changing that — and to build a culture of inclusion that goes much further.

We recognise that diversity makes us stronger. The staff, students and collaborators at the Baker Institute represent a wide range of genders, ages, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, abilities, family structures, religions and sexual orientations. We embrace and actively support that diversity, because we believe it leads to better science, better decisions and a better workplace for everyone.

Athena SWAN accreditation

In 2018, the Baker Institute was one of the first 15 research institutes and universities in Australia to receive an Athena SWAN Bronze Award from Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) — recognition for our efforts to improve gender equity and diversity through a rigorous, data-driven accreditation process.

The Athena Swan Charter, originally developed in the UK and now operating in Australia through SAGE, helps organisations examine and address systemic barriers to gender equity. We are currently working toward Silver accreditation, which requires us to demonstrate measurable progress and deeper cultural change.

Our accreditation journey has helped us identify five key areas where we are actively working to drive improvement:

• Workplace and organisational culture — embedding a positive culture that genuinely prioritises gender equity and celebrates a diverse workforce.
• Women in senior leadership — taking proactive steps to increase the representation and promotion of women at senior levels.
• Recruitment at mid and senior levels — addressing barriers to attracting and retaining women in leadership positions through a sustained, multipronged approach.
• Career progression and parental support — improving support structures around parental leave for all staff, ensuring career breaks don't become career setbacks.
• Flexible working — building greater awareness and uptake of flexible work policies across the organisation.

What we've put in place

Our GEDI commitment is reflected in the practices and programs we have built over the years. These include the prestigious Alice Baker and Eleanor Shaw Gender Equity Fellowship, which supports outstanding senior female scientists at the Baker Institute; Women in Science Support Grants, which provide practical financial support to women navigating career disruptions; and achieved gender equity for invited speakers at our Friday research seminars in 2022.

We have also introduced enhanced paid primary caregiver leave, paid special parental leave, family support leave and partner leave in our Enterprise Agreements; held parenting and coaching workshops, intersectionality events, and diversity and inclusion training; and embedded Acknowledgement of Country in our daily work practices. Rainbow lanyards, pronoun pins, welcome signage and inclusive representation in our marketing materials are all visible signals of the culture we are building.

We also have clear written policies on equal opportunity and workplace bullying, and a Consumer healthcare policy for our clinics and allied health services that specifically addresses inclusivity across language, literacy and disability. 

The Panel Pledge

The Panel Pledge is our commitment to gender equity and diversity in public life — at conferences, forums, panels and events. By taking the pledge, Baker Institute staff and students commit to declining invitations to participate in all-male panels and to actively advocate for diverse representation in their fields.