Two thousand private sector employers will soon be required to set three gender equality targets under a new push from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency to lift workplace standards.
Starting from April 1, private sector employers with 500 or more employees will need to select three gender equality targets from a menu of numeric and action-orientated goals. The lodgement window will be open until May 31.
The targets can be chosen from a menu provided by WGEA, with employers having three years to achieve or make progress on the targets.
The targets are designed to help employers take measurable action to improve gender equality in their workplace.
The targets include measures like addressing the gender pay gap, getting more women on boards and in managerial roles, sexual harassment prevention, flexible work arrangements, paid parental leave and better support for carers and parents.
The reform marks a significant shift in how workplace gender equality is measured and enforced, following recommendations from the 2021 review of the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012. Legislation passed federal parliament in 2025.
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency says target-setting is a proven lever for change, with each employer’s commitments to be published on its Data Explorer.
Commonwealth public sector employers will also adopt similar requirements from April 1.
The changes come as new research makes clear the business case for action. A 2025 Gender Equity Insights report from Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre and WGEA found organisations prioritising gender equality report lower staff turnover, stronger representation of women in leadership, and improved shareholder value. It indicates employers who don’t take action may fall behind their competitors in Australia, as gender-balanced executive teams deliver higher company value.
The target-setting requirements for the private sector come just weeks after the release of the latest gender pay gap data, which showed shockingly large gender pay gaps across many Australian employers, including across brands and services that are almost entirely marketed to women.