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In late September 2024, the Centre for Social Impact at the University of Western Australia (CSI) released the Workplace Respect Project Annual Impact Report 2023-4.  

Circle Green’s Workplace Respect Project (the Project) engaged CSI to conduct an annual evaluation of the Project in 2022. This recently released report is the second Annual Impact Report from the evaluation, covering the period from 1 July 2023 until 30 June 2024. 

In summary, we are pleased to share that the report finds clear evidence that the Project is working to achieve all established outcome goals.  

In the 2023-24 reporting period, the Project worked to address the following identified needs: 

1. Track legal need – Identify, understand, and monitor the prevalence and nature of workplace sexual harassment (WSH) and discrimination in WA so legal need can be met.

In 2024, the Workplace Respect Project released a 2021-2023 legal need snapshot, compiling requested data on workplace sexual harassment reporting from a range of agencies including the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Equal Opportunity Commission (WA), and more. 

The report helped to build a snapshot of the quantum or sexual harassment reports made in WA, as well as understand some demographic information about those who made reports of WSH. 

Key findings included that: 

  • Most workers who reported sexual harassment in WA from 2021 – 2023 were female, younger than 35 years old and from the Perth metropolitan area; and 
  • WorkSafe Mines received the highest number of reports of sexual harassment.  

 

2. Deliver legal servicesImprove the integration and responsiveness of legal assistance and support services for marginalised groups who are targeted by WSH and discrimination, including those facing intersectional discrimination. 

Circle Green provided a total of 247 workplace sexual harassment legal services between July 2023 – June 2024. 

  • 83% of Circle Green’s clients targeted by workplace sexual harassment were women.  
  • 37% were aged 35-49, and 34% were aged 25-34.  
  • 95% were experiencing financial disadvantage, and 14% were homeless or at risk of homelessness. 
  • 17% worked in accommodation and food services, 15% worked in electricity, gas, water, and waste services, and 14% worked in mining. 
  • 100% of workplace sexual harassment clients surveyed felt that staff treated them with courtesy and respect, and provided advice that was easy to understand.
  • 100% of clients also experienced an increase in their understanding of workplace law, and confidence in dealing with their workplace issue. 
  • Over the 2023-24 reporting period, Circle Green received a total of 237 referrals regarding WSH – nearly double the 127 referrals received in the previous year. 

 

3. Facilitate capacity buildingEmpower people, professions, workplaces, and communities, to understand, respond to and prevent WSH and discrimination. 

In 2023-24, the Workplace Respect Project delivered 39 community legal education activities across WA to a total of 1,072 participants.  

Participant groups included Year 11 and 12 school students, community organisations, legal assistance service providers, community legal centres, state government departments, local governments, universities, and community. 

Surveys of participants who attended workplace sexual harassment and active bystander training found that: 

  • 94% felt that the training had improved their overall understanding of workplace sexual harassment.  
  • 97% agreed that the training improved their understanding of bystander intervention in relation to workplace sexual harassment, and 95% agreed that the training improved their understanding of the importance of being an active bystander. 
  • 98% of attendees believed that the training content was easy to understand and informative. 

 

4. Legal and cultural changeEnsure discrimination and workplace laws protect workers and foster safe workplaces. 

Legal and cultural change activities delivered in this reporting period included:  

 

The report finishes by making several recommendations on how to better capture impact through further data collection such as more in-depth referral tracking and an increased distribution of community legal education surveys. 

Download the Workplace Respect Project Impact Summary. 

Download the Centre for Social Impact’s Workplace Respect Project Annual Impact Report 2023-4 to read in full.