SW worked with Diversity Partners to undertake a comprehensive DEI diagnostic to assist in building our framework to support our initiatives in the short, medium and long-term.

SW’s DEI framework is built on three pillars that are the foundation of all our focus:

Core pillars

Compiling the results from surveys, focus groups and interview has helped us shape an action plan that is underpinned by three core pillars:

1. Leadership & Governance: strengthen visible leadership commitment, governance and overall accountability for DEI
2. Education: Build the knowledge and capability of DEI for all our people to support a safe and inclusive culture
3. Policies, Programs and Partnerships: Embed DEI principles into the employee life cycle inclusion attraction, recruitment, development and progression

Aims

The four key aims of our initiatives include:

• Cultivate inclusive leadership capabilities and promote psychological safety within the organisation to nurture a culture of trust and sense of one team
• Uphold a zero tolerance to bullying, harassment, discrimination, and victimisation
• Educate our people with the knowledge and skills necessary to embrace diversity and promote inclusivity
• Establish visible and inclusive work practices that reflect our organisational values and purpose, which supports a culture where everyone feels valued and supported.

Our people are at the core of all we do, and your wellbeing matters. Combined with our unique set of values, this underpins how we work with each other, interact with our clients and guides our firm strategy.

Bringing our values to life in a tangible way allows everyone to understand the clear benefits of being part of our firm.

Balance

Wellbeing

A continuous focus on wellbeing has led us to developing a rounded offering of market leading benefits. The dedicated Wellness Wing is designed to enable and energise our people with tools to maintain all aspects of their health by empowering them – through team activities and resources focused on physical, financial, mental and occupational wellbeing. Our focus on wellbeing extends to our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with Assure Programs. We hold regular sessions normalising mental health challenges, and our people are trained in Mental Health First Aid.

Flexibility

At SW you have the flexibility to work the way you need to – prioritising your mental health, family and job satisfaction. We have invested in purpose-built facilities and state of the art technology across our online platforms to support collaboration no matter where you’re working – at a client’s premises, in the office or at home. Our newly refurbished offices provide a modern and peaceful aesthetic, with specific zones designed for all aspects of the workday and to suit all personalities and workstyles.

Growth

Personal & professional growth

By providing the opportunity to work on a variety of quality clients, our people are given growth and development opportunities to enable an accelerated professional pathway based on your potential and performance.

This is balanced with encouragement to rest and recharge, with offerings including:

• Additional leave and matched time options above industry standards and a commitment to maintain this leading edge
• Access to significant Learning & Development opportunities to foster and support a growth mindset.

Connection

Values-focused & deeper connections

Our five values are at the heart of our Employee Value Proposition (EVP) and are embedded in our interactions and engagements. A range of programs support these values and our community to grow and thrive. ‘Love your work’ is a core SW value because you are always happier with your unique contribution if you take pride in your work and love what you do! SW is a friendly and family-orientated place to work, we are happy to ‘share the load’ and support our team members. While working at SW, you will make deeper connections with both your internal and external networks, which will ultimately ‘open doors’ and set you up for success in all you do.

We have chosen to focus our efforts on six key SDGs, all of which align with our values, and support initiatives through our Co2 Committee, RAP Working Group, EVP, Wellness Wing and the CSR Committee.

To learn more about the goals, you can click on the links below.

Goals

Goal 2 – Zero Hunger

We aim to help end hunger and malnutrition by supporting local food banks, reducing food waste and supporting programs that help to achieve this.

Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-Being

We strive to promote physical and mental health and well-being by providing access to wellness resources and support.

Goal 4 – Quality Education

We believe that education is a fundamental right and are committed to promoting access to quality education for all.

Goal 5 – Gender Equality

We are committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women in our workplace and beyond.

Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth

We support the creation of good jobs and economic growth that benefits everyone.

Goal 13 – Climate Action

We are committed to taking action to reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable practices.

BOLD Framework

Our tailored learning framework BOLD (Building Our Leadership and Development) framework clarifies behaviour and capability expectations of our employees at every level. Our programs are purpose built and tailored to our people, their profession and their personal interests.

Our BOLD Capability & Development Framework is used to support:

• Lateral and campus recruitment endeavours
• Performance appraisal processes
• The identification the requirements for your role
• Focused learning & development activities including encouraging you to take more responsibility for your own development, and
• Talent management efforts which help prepare our leaders for success.

Chartered Accountant (CA) Program

Your CA is our CA – as part of our Graduate program, we pay for incoming Grads to complete your CA and provide you with the required study leave.

LinkedIn Learning

E-learning is becoming a great choice for many of us – we can choose the time and place of our learning and learn at a pace that suits our commitments, both at work and at home. We encourage our people to engage in new thinking and tools as a positive way to break up their day and bring fresh ideas and thoughts to day-to-day work.

For the past three consecutive years, when surveyed, all staff have nominated mental health as the number one priority for our firm’s engagement and corporate social responsibility focus. Mental Health is a contributing factor for many issues faced by Australians. In recognition of this, our annual staff and partner survey consistently demonstrates our desire to ensure that we show our support to assisting each other and organisations that support those that experience mental illness, health challenges, closely followed by Children and those experiencing homelessness.

The major community programs we support each year are listed below. Beyond fundraising, our focus is on educating and bringing to light the stories of our own people managing adversity and showing resilience.

• Vinnies CEO Sleepout and soup vans
• Liptember
• Movember
• Black Dog Institute
• Fitted For Work
• Starlight Foundation
• RUOK? Day
• OzHarvest Australia

The Wellness Wing

Our dedicated health & wellbeing program is a holistic program that focuses on one key aspect of wellbeing per season. It focuses on enhancing the health and wellbeing of our people and create a workplace culture of health.

• Summer: physical wellbeing
• Autumn: financial wellbeing
• Winter: occupational wellbeing
• Spring: mental wellbeing

Employee Assistance Program: Assure

At SW we have partnered with Assure to provide support for and improve the mental health and wellbeing of our people and staff.

Assure is one of Australia’s leading mental health organisations and take a holistic model of counselling, wellbeing coaching and evidence-based development programs to assist individuals, teams and organisations across the entire mental wellbeing spectrum.

SW is committed to Reconciliation and is currently developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This forms part of our adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and framework that we believe will support inclusion, create opportunities of employment and support cultural safety of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people within our firm.

RAPs were introduced to support organisations in working through a considered process that engages people and communities to understand what reconciliation best means for them now, and in the future.

Our RAP journey begins as: Reflect – Scoping capacity for reconciliation. The intent is to ‘reflect’ on engagement with Indigenous Australians, create a vision, and ensure our commitments can create strong RAPs in the future.

Since October 2021, our RAP Working Group has worked tirelessly to highlight the importance of respecting and recognising the histories, cultures and contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We’re gaining many learning and insights through initiatives such as launching SBS’ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Course as part of learning and development to the firm, participating in Aboriginal heritage walks, incorporating acknowledgements of the Traditional Custodians into our collateral and office renovations, building connections with the local Aboriginal communities and organisations in each state our offices are located in, and celebrating National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week by attending event and hosting smoking ceremonies.

Each RAP takes time to develop, and what is important to note is that it is the journey that we undertake together towards deepening our understanding of the role we can play in reconciliation that is significant. We believe that with our values of Open Doors and Own It, we can together make a meaningful commitment to improve equality for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

Our teams are driving an agenda through our sustainability focus to support clients understanding of their supply chain impacts, consider the adoption of voluntary disclosure and realise their wider impact on the world.

We appreciate that for our clients, it is important that we demonstrate that we understand their stakeholders, with respect to communities, indigenous peoples’ and human rights. At all times, our team, will be of aware of and comply with any human rights commitments and in doing so, respect your communities.

Volunteer’s day

Our staff and partners have the opportunity to take an Annual Volunteers Day, where they can select a registered charity of business and participate in any relevant activity.