Council awarded White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation

Campbelltown City Council has been recognised for its commitment to stopping domestic and family violence and its pledge to improve the safety of all staff by being awarded White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation.

Campbelltown is the first Council in the Macarthur area and one of only a few in NSW to gain White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation.

Council has successfully fulfilled the requirements to become a White Ribbon accredited workplace after meeting a series of 12 benchmarks in gender equality, inclusion and creating a safer and more respectful workplace.

Mayor of Campbelltown, Cr George Brticevic said the White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation reflected Council’s strong commitment to a zero tolerance approach to violence.

“I am extremely proud that Council’s efforts to prevent and respond to domestic and family violence in the workplace and in the wider community have been rewarded,’’ he said.

“We are leading by example, changing community and cultural behavior and setting the standard for others to follow.’’

Improved policies and measures have been implemented, including adequate domestic and family violence provisions.

All supervisory staff have completed Domestic Violence in the Workplace Awareness Training to provide the knowledge they need to recognise the issue and support their staff by providing them with the assistance they need.

Cr Brticevic said by joining this important White Ribbon initiative, Council is taking steps to prevent and respond to violence against women, whether it occurs in or beyond the workplace, and to drive cultural change in the community.

“White Ribbon Workplace Accreditation will have far reaching benefits and achieve positive outcomes,’’ he said.

“Our workplaces will become safer, more supportive and flexible and we are also promoting gender equality.’’

Council General Manager Lindy Deitz said Council’s commitment to preventing violence of any kind in society and looking after our staff will flow on to benefit everyone in the community.

“As part of our pledge to support employees affected by domestic and family violence, we advocate a sensitive and holistic approach so our staff can continue to participate in the workplace during a difficult time,’’ she said.

One of the measures Council has introduced is providing a Family and Domestic Violence Leave provision for all staff, which offers double the amount of leave endorsed by the Fair Work Commission.

Council staff have access to 10 days of leave each year, including five days of paid and five days of unpaid leave, to deal with matters resulting from family and domestic violence.

This leave provision exceeds the Fair Work Commission Ruling (July 2018) which entitles employees to up to five days of unpaid leave.

In Australia, one woman dies every week as a result of domestic violence.

“The victims are someone’s mother, daughter, wife, friend or workmate,’’ Cr Brticevic said.

“One injury or death is too many and we, as a community, need to take action together to stop violence against women.’’

In addition, Council will again join forces with Campbelltown City Police for the annual White Ribbon Day Convoy on Friday 23 November.

Council staff and community members will watch the convoy travel along Queen St and take the White Ribbon Oath at a lunch on the lawn, on the corner of Queen and Broughton Streets, on the day from 12pm to 2pm.