“Knowing what to do and not doing it, is the same as not knowing what to do,” stated Robin Sharma in a conference recently. It continues to ring in my ears as I reflect on our shared journey to achieve gender equity.

Every action starts with “why”. There is a lot behind my decision to take an active role in change.

I have first-hand experience of the benefits gender balance and gender equity bring to the workplace. Many years ago, I led a growing team in a newly established business in Malaysia, which had approximately equal numbers of male and female engineers. The level of team performance, collaboration, commitment, support, and care were outstanding across the board.

As a team leader, I was blown away by and appreciative of the outcomes we achieved on both business and personal levels. I knew these outcomes were achieved in part because of the team’s gender diversity, with much research indicating that gender equity leads to positive business performance.

Since then, I have become more committed than ever to championing gender equity across industries and business communities.

Aurecon has a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan, and a Gender Equity Strategy. We are a Workplace Gender Equality Agency Employer of Choice citation holder. In addition to organisational initiatives, such as setting targets, implementing a sponsorship program, and launching a new parental leave policy, we attach importance to the day-to-day observances and changes, challenging the status quo, flipping the stereotypes, disrupting the norms.

For example, informal sponsoring and advocacy, questioning project team selection, encouraging men to take more parental leave or work part-time, and curating meaningful, genuine part-time roles for employees returning from parental leave and offering acceleration when appropriate.

All of those can make for sustained progress.

For the near future, in my new role at Aurecon and as a new member of CEOs for Gender Equity, I plan to be curious, to listen, learn, absorb, question, be aware and reflect on my sphere of influence.

As a father of two daughters, I can’t help thinking about the future when my daughters enter the workforce in a decade or so. There is much more we can do today at a societal level to create a future that offers equitable opportunities for all to thrive.

An equitable future requires a concerted effort from everyone – employers, teachers, parents, the community...the list goes on. Opportunities for advancement abound once we are all aligned.

The change we need will begin with lifting the respect for each other and keep the momentum going over time. It takes courage to challenge the status quo. When we believe it, we need to say it and do it, now.