At Bindaree Food Group, International Women’s Day is more than just a date on the calendar, it’s a reminder of our ongoing drive to build an inclusive and equitable workplace. This year’s theme, #AccelerateAction, is reflected in the steps we’re taking to champion gender equality across our business and the wider industry.
Reflecting on Our International Women’s Day Initiatives
#AccelerateAction Webinar
Following our successful International Women’s Day webinar on March 17th, we’re excited to share some of the highlights and celebrate our progress. This year’s webinar featured insights from:
- Stacey McKenna: Australian Chair of Meat Business Women, Stacey shared her extensive industry experience and passion for elevating women’s roles while driving greater inclusivity.
- Salliann Powell: A physiotherapy practice manager and mother of three, Salliann gave us a glimpse into her extraordinary journey to become the first Australian to complete all five Racing the Planet desert ultramarathons in a single year—all while raising funds for the Nerve Connection Foundation.
- Zac McInerney: Our General Manager – Grainfed Supply, Zac reflected on his experience in the beef industry, spoke about leading a team of predominantly women at Bindaree, and his commitment as a leader to accelerate action on inclusion and diversity.
Some key takeaways from our Webinar included:
- From a national perspective, why gender equality is so important including the benefits such as human rights, economics, societal and profitability for business’s.
- The main factors that impact gender equality including the gender pay gap, workplace bias, leadership representation, care work disparity, harassment, gender norms and domestic and family violence.
- What key changes are happening in our government and from a legislation perspective that impact out business and industry (including WGEA reporting).
- Statistics and data from our industry, including that woman only represent 33.5% of the meat industry, the goal for the Food Business Charter is to reach 40% female representation by 2035. Further the industry is seeing little improvement in the first -line manager, skilled and unskilled level of work.
- Practical tips for our businesses and individuals on what they can do to achieve better gender equality including:
- Appointing a senior diversity and inclusion lead
- Benchmark your business stats against industry averages
- Building an inclusive culture
- It takes everyone, men and women, to achieve genuine change when it comes to gender equality.
- The importance of recognising both men and women’s caring responsibilities and priorities.
- The importance of supporting women and their careers, particularly when it comes to taking maternity leave and re-entering the workforce.
- Ensuring not to be gender bias when recruiting and promoting, it should be about the best candidate, who is the most competent.
- Some great advice when it comes to taking on a challenge such as “get out of your comfort zone” and the “importance of setting small goals”.
- What Bindaree is doing to #accelerateaction, reflecting on what we have in place, including our Gender Equality Strategy, Paid Parental Leave Policy, Domestic Violence Leave, Respectful Workplace Plan and flexible work opportunities. We discussed what was next for Bindaree in regards to gender equality, including making a clear commitment, engage with our workforce, continue to communicate and educate our leaders and workforce, incorporate gender equality into all areas of our business and in general – a commitment to continuous improvement.
Empowering Women in the Meat Industry
Bindaree is committed to driving meaningful change in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated. As Rebecca Kelson, our General Manager of Retail Operations, highlighted in a recent interview with Australian Meat Processor Corporation’s (AMPC) More to Meat campaign:
“Leaders need to commit to clear strategies that support gender equality, including equal pay and career pathways for women.”
Rebecca oversees Bindaree Food Solutions in Burleigh Heads, QLD, our retail-ready site supported by Bindaree’s processing plants. As part of our leadership team, she advocates alongside her colleagues for creating opportunities for women and values mentorship and coaching in supporting career growth.
At Bindaree, gender equality isn’t just a conversation – it’s an action. Policies such as Paid Parental Leave, Flexible Work Arrangements, and our Respectful Workplace commitment help create an environment where everyone can succeed. And in 2025, we’re launching Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committees to ensure these conversations turn into lasting change.
Recognising Our 2025 Gender Equality Champions
A diverse and inclusive workplace starts with the people who champion it every day. This year, we invited our team to recognise those making a difference in gender equality at Bindaree. We recognised winners from each site for their contribution in commitment, impact and leadership in promoting gender equality everyday at Bindaree.
Driving Change Year-Round
Our commitment to #AccelerateAction doesn’t stop on International Women’s Day. We’re proud to support initiatives like Meat Business Women and will be the lunch sponsor for the upcoming 2025 Meat Business Women conference. These partnerships help drive real change and highlight the vital role women play in shaping our industry.
At Bindaree, we know there’s always more to do. But as we reflect on this year’s International Women’s Day, one thing is clear – we’re committed to building a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, not just today, but every day.
Pictured below: Stacey McKenna, Salliann Powell, Zac McInerney.
