Linfox is committed to shaping an inclusive, safe and diverse workplace where people feel valued regardless of age, disability, gender, religion, race, culture, marital status or sexual orientation.
By prioritising respectful interactions and living our LIFT values of loyalty, integrity, fairness, and trust, we strive to sustain a culture that embraces individuality and nurtures belonging.
To achieve progress, we must directly acknowledge and address our challenges. The statistics on female workplace participation in Australia’s logistics industry are sobering. According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), women accounted for just 19 per cent of people working in the road freight transport and warehousing sectors in 2022. This figure further decreases when examining operational roles.
Increasing diversity in our workplace is not just morally right, it is critical for the long-term sustainability of our industry.
According to the Australian Government’s National Skills Commission, the transport sector is growing, freight demands are increasing, and Australia is facing a rising skills shortage. Further, Australia’s logistics workforce is ageing and predominantly male. The lack of diversity is concerning, not only because women constitute 50 per cent of the potential talent pool, but also because research repeatedly shows that diversity plays a vital role in enhancing workforce capability1.
Research by the Australian Human Rights Commission shows that increasing the representation of women in traditionally predominantly male industries can lead to improved organisational performance and workplace productivity, a decrease in organisational and industry-specific pay gaps, and increased safety.
The first step in any organisational transformation is cultivating a genuine desire for change starting from the top.
CEO Linfox Australia and New Zealand, Mark Mazurek, has expressed his commitment to this journey and a willingness to learn and adapt. This humility and openness sets the tone for change and continuous improvement.
Positive steps
As part of our recent initiatives, we are conducting a comprehensive analysis of employee compensation to identify and address any gender pay disparities.
We have also launched the Women in Linfox group, a community of employees dedicated to promoting the advancement of women.
This group provides a platform for networking, growth opportunities, and an influential voice in shaping the policies and decisions that impact women.
Image: Team members at Linfox’s Dulux DC in Dandenong, Victoria.
Driver Training Program
In the coming months, Linfox will launch a tailored driver training program. The program will support people to obtain a heavy rigid, heavy combination, or multi-combination licence, offering the opportunity for on-the-job learning with the benefit of full-time or part-time employment.
The supportive program includes a buddy program, where new drivers are paired with an experienced driver to show them the ropes and give them confidence on the road. We will strongly encourage applications from women, Indigenous Australians, and other underrepresented groups through marketing initiatives, positive action and flexible rostering.
Image: Linfox driver and proud Noongar Aboriginal man, Derrick participated in the pilot driver training program in Perth.
Partnerships and memberships
We understand the importance of partnerships in driving change.
We have formed alliances with organisations such as Transport Women Australia Limited, the Champions of Change Coalition, Wayfinder – Supply Chain Careers for Women, Diversity Council Australia, and the National Association of Women in Operations.
These partnerships provide support, resources, and networking opportunities, and we are delighted to collaborate with them in our shared mission.
Image: Linfox WA team members.
Celebrating our LGBT+ community
Increasing female representation is just one piece of the diversity puzzle. Linfox employees have formed the Linfox Rainbow Group, a supportive group of LGBT+ people and allies created to increase the visibility, safety, and sense of belonging for our LGBT+ community.
Sponsored by an Executive Leadership Team member, the Rainbow Group provides a powerful voice and a forum where community members can advise the business on policies or issues that directly impact them.
Sites across Linfox celebrated the launch of the Linfox Rainbow Group with events during Pride Month in June. We are excited to watch this group grow in numbers and strength and look forward to celebrating our first Wear it Purple Day in August.
Image: Linfox Rainbow Group Executive Sponsor Doug Fryer (second from left) with Rainbow Group leaders and members.
Engaging our Indigenous community
Linfox is committed to bridging the gap between Indigenous and non- Indigenous Australians through employment, training, education, and business opportunities. We aspire to enhance Indigenous engagement and employment as part of our ongoing reconciliation journey.
Our partnership with the Clontarf Foundation enables us to provide education and employment pathways for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men from disadvantaged backgrounds through site visits, work experience and school-based traineeships.
We also partner with Zancott Knight, an Indigenous joint venture between national leaders in recruitment and facilities management who have deep partnerships with the Department of Defence.
Diversity and inclusion aren’t synonymous
As Andrés Tapi, a Senior Client Partner at Korn Ferry, states, “Diversity is a mix, and inclusion is making the mix work.”
Inclusive leadership plays a crucial role in fostering inclusivity, and we continue to educate our decision makers. This year, we’ve seen a significant uptake in team members participating in diversity and inclusion training courses.
In celebration of International Women’s Day, Linfox hosted a series of live events focused on Bias, Paradigms, Perception, and Performance. These events aimed to raise awareness and promote discussions around gender biases and their impact on the workplace.
Recognising the importance of accommodating diverse religious and spiritual beliefs, we recently created multi-faith prayer rooms at our Melbourne head office and several of our DCs across Australia. We have plans to replicate these spaces in other facilities to ensure inclusivity across our business.
We also continue to promote and enforce our code of conduct, The Linfox Way. Through this code, we cultivate a workplace that is not only free from discrimination and harassment, but where unfair treatment and poor behaviour is unlikely to occur.
While these individual steps are small, together they are significant in shaping a culture of diversity and inclusion. We still have a long way to go before we achieve the diverse and inclusive workplace we aspire to, but I am proud of the progress we’ve made and what is yet to come.
As we approach this journey with humility and an unwavering commitment to drive meaningful change, I am confident we will create an environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered.