Defined entities are required to report on their gender equality progress to the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner every 2 years.
The first progress report is due on 20 February 2024.
Progress reports must include:
- the policies, programs and services that were subject to a gender impact assessment
- the actions taken as a result of each gender impact assessment
- your progress in relation to the measures and strategies set out in your Gender Equality Action Plan
- your progress in relation to the workplace gender equality indicators
- whether you met any relevant targets or quotas (note there are currently no targets and quotas regulated).
Progress reporting guidance
The Commission has developed the progress reporting guidance 2023 to support organisations to meet their obligation to complete and submit a progress report as required under the Gender Equality Act 2020.
Progress reporting guidance 2023
Guidance for meeting your progress reporting obligations under the Gender Equality Act 2020.
Progress audit 2023
The Commission has developed guidance to help defined entities to assess and report on their progress in relation to the gender equality indicators. This is referred to as a 'progress audit'. A progress audit involves:
- collecting workforce and employee experience data in 2023
- comparing this information to the workplace gender audit data collected in 2021
- providing the results to the Commissioner along with progress reports.
The Gender Equality Amendment Regulations 2023 were approved on 29 August 2023 and will commence on 30 September 2023. The regulations require you to complete a progress audit as part of progress reporting. The progress audit will enable you to demonstrate progress on the indicators and for the Commissioner to determine whether your organisation has made reasonable and material progress.
Submitting your progress reports
The first progress report is due by 20 February 2024. This deadline has been extended from 31 October 2023 and applies to all defined entities.
The reporting period for the first progress report is 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2023 (and 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2023 for universities). The submission extension does not affect this. The only change is the date by which your organisation must submit your progress report.
You will submit your reports through the reporting platform. See the video walkthrough below, which shows you how to upload your progress report and progress audit to the Gender Equality Act reporting platform.
For the latest updates subscribe to our newsletter.
Updated