Metcash has implemented a range of programs over the past few years and made significant progress across a number of workplace initiatives to support diversity and enhance inclusion. The business was first named an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) by the Australian Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) in 2019.
Each year, the WGEA releases a list of employers committed to achieving gender equality in the workplace with new citations lasting for a period of two years. It is a badge of honour worn with pride by all those working at Metcash and it is one that they intend holding onto.
“Our desire to continue to be acknowledged as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality reflects our commitment to our people, our purpose and our vision,” said Group CEO, Jeff Adams who is a Gender Pay Equity Ambassador with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).
“To fulfil our purpose of championing successful independents and become A Favourite Place To Work, we recognise that our people are our most valued asset, with belonging and inclusion fundamental to our culture and core values. We recognise that each person has unique strengths and that high performance is underpinned by embracing those strengths.”
Some of the workplace initiatives that have been introduced to support a more diverse and inclusive workplace include:
• Promotion and leadership support of flexible working arrangements, including start/finish times, shift options, job sharing and working from home
• Significant progress in closing the gender pay gap to 1 per cent
• Establishing a Diversity & Inclusion Committee and championing gender equality across the business
• Tailored parental leave policies for women and men
• A campaign to attract females to traditionally male-dominated roles, such as logistics
• Becoming A Favourite Place to Work based on feedback from an annual survey completed by employees and designed to help the business improve from year to year
Georgia Kollaras was recently appointed Senior Marketing Manager and works alongside Murray Riemann, General Manager of Owned & Exclusive Brands.
She says, “Murray is a dependable and analytical leader, and I admire his humanistic approach to leadership. We are a small - and busy - team of five, with Nevil Shah managing compliance and sourcing, James Somerset taking the reins of Brand & Portfolio Manager, and Chani in demand and supply.”
Kollaras has been working there since July last year when ALM acquired Kollaras & Co – an acquisition that was key to their private label growth strategy and a key focus for CEO Chris Baddock.
She says, “The opportunities I’ve had since joining ALM and the broader Metcash group have been nothing short of wonderful. Recently I had the privilege of representing them as a panellist at a Diversity and Inclusion Network event that I was proud to do, and was a truly a brilliant experience…
“Their overall engagement with the entire workforce is outstanding, and this year has delivered a further 8-point increase on last year’s engagement survey, which really demonstrates that their ‘A Favourite Place To Work’ program is delivering results.”