As the Director of Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Libby Lyons has been on a mission to improve gender equality.

That mission is set to continue with Libby recently taking on the role of the inaugural Chair of SAGE Limited.

In this final episode of the SAGE Think Difference podcast for 2020, Libby shares her first impressions a few months into the new role.

She said her immediate focus will be on increasing participation in SAGE.

“There are a number or organisations who haven’t signed up and I’ll be working very hard to increase the membership, because it is very important that we put a focus and spotlight on gender equality,” Ms Lyons said.

2021 will also see closer collaboration between SAGE and WGEA.

“SAGE and the WGEA are going to start trying to work together more so that we can reduce duplication and ensure that organisations who are accredited in SAGE will be able to in some way shape or form just a little bit of extra work and then get accredited for our citation,” Ms Lyons said.

“So I think the importance here is that we don’t have duplication but that we work in concert with one another.”

Speaking about the economic arguments underpinning the case for gender equality and ensuring sector leaders use them as the basis for their decision making, Ms Lyons said the evidence is clear.

“The research for the business case for gender equality is there in black and white and it has been for years. It’s now up to the leaders of our organisations to familiarise themselves with the business case again, to read the evidence, take it on board and make it a business priority,” Ms Lyons said. 

Listen to episode seven now or catch up on previous episodes. You can also subscribe to Think Difference on Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.