Building our pipeline of female talent

We piloted an Emerging Female Leaders program to further build our pipeline of female talent as we work towards our target of 40% female, 40% male and 20% either gender represented across all levels of management.

The program simultaneously supported skill development and removed barriers which prevent talent from progressing.

Our Gender Equity working group leader and General Manager HR Operations, Maria Stamoulis said: “The program targets our emerging female leaders because it addresses the skills we know women need to ‘own’ their career, which are different to the skills men need. Specifically, those skills include building confidence and developing self-belief to be ready for broader and/or more senior roles.”

16 emerging and high-potential female talent were identified and endorsed by our General Managers and Directors to participate in the program.

Some of our emerging female talent with program leader Gillian Fox

Developed in partnership with the Gillian Fox Group, the program focused on education, experience and exposure, and was designed to empower women to own their careers at Scentre Group.

The education component included a webinar with the participants’ managers, two half-day workshops and three individual coaching sessions.

Our emerging leaders also undertook an assignment on a Scentre Group business initiative designed to demonstrate their business acumen. Exposing them to our business leaders, participants presented their assignments to our Board Member Margaret Seale, Peter Allen, members of our Executive and their relevant managers.

Participant feedback demonstrates the impact of the program on confidence and self-belief.

When asked what was different as a result of the program, participants said:

I believe I deserve my place in this organisation.
I believe in myself and will share my thoughts and ideas.
I will say ‘yes’ to more things I previously didn’t believe I could do.
I will ask the business to take a risk on me like I will take on myself.

We plan to run the program again next year as part of our ongoing commitment to achieving gender equity in our workplace.

In the meantime, to keep momentum and continue building leadership skills, our emerging female leaders’ will continue to champion their business initiatives. There will also be formal three and six month follow ups with HR and their managers.

We are endorsed by WGEA as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and included in the 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index.