SYDNEY, 13 May 2025 – UN Women Australia launched their pioneering Leadership Network today, bringing together influential leaders from across sectors to tackle persistent gender inequality in Australia.
Today’s launch comes at a critical time, with recent data revealing that for every dollar a man earns in Australia, women earn just 78 cents – resulting in an average annual difference of $28,425[1]. Despite some progress, 79% of Australian employers still have gender pay gaps outside the target range of +/-5%.
Under the theme “Think Global, Act Local,” the UN Women Australia Leadership Network aims to drive progress by fostering cross-sector collaboration, sharing evidence-based strategies and thought leadership leveraging UN Women’s global expertise to drive local impact.
Padma Raman PSM, Executive Director of the Office for Women at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, who is a featured speaker at today’s launch: “Convened by the global champion for gender equality, UN Women Australia’s Leadership Network is a unique opportunity to bring together private, government, academic and community leaders to learn, collaborate and drive action.”
The Leadership Network is designed to enable cross sector leadership and knowledge sharing to address persistent challenges that prevent women from fully participating and leading in almost all sectors and aspects of Australian society.
Rodney Hanratty, Chief People Officer at Zurich Financial Services Australia and New Zealand, and one of the founding members of the network: “Zurich is committed to achieving a gender balanced workforce and closing the gender pay gap, driven by a culture of transparency and accountability. The UN Women Australia Leadership Network provides a valuable opportunity for Zurich to exchange insights, innovate, and engage our people on this important topic.”
The Network will provide members with access to UN Women’s global expertise, research and resources, while creating a platform for knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer learning and deeper cross-sector connections.
Dr Meraiah Foley, from The University of Sydney Business School: “The Leadership Network is a timely and practical initiative to accelerate progress toward gender equality in Australian workplaces and beyond. By bringing evidence, insight and cross-sector collaboration together, we can build the tools for real and lasting change.”
Kim Louw, from Minderoo Foundation: “Each sector brings unique strengths and resources to the table. By sharing learnings and co-ordinating our efforts, we can #MarchForward and tackle gender equality more effectively.”
Simone Clarke, CEO of UN Women Australia, emphasised the strategic importance of the initiative: “While some progress has been made, women remain dramatically underrepresented in leadership across most sectors. This network creates a practical, action-oriented space where organisations and their current and aspiring leaders can collaborate to accelerate positive change.”
Speakers at today’s launch included Padma Raman PSM (Executive Director, Office for Women), Dr Meraiah Foley (Senior Lecturer & Academic Director, Equity Diversity & Inclusion, University of Sydney Business School), Kim Louw (Head of Embedding Equality, Minderoo Foundation), Jordyn Gray (Founding Director, The Athena Project).
Organisations interested in joining the Leadership Network can find out more here.
