DesignInc Sydney is thrilled to have received the 2021 UDIA NSW Diversity and Inclusion Award. With high levels of cultural diversity across our team, 50:50 gender equity at Director level, a fully funded First Nations architectural scholarship, Nguluway DesignInc partnership as well as a range of progressive policies, we are proud of our achievements.
On November 25, we gathered with over 400 of our peers at the annual UDIA NSW Awards for Leadership Excellence to recognise those making a difference in the built environment. DesignInc Sydney was thrilled to have received the Award for Diversity and Inclusion.
At DesignInc Sydney, we are driven not only by the desire to create beautiful places—we want the environments we design to be equitable and accessible for users. Crucially, we also want the people who design them to be happy and healthy. We strive for each member of our team to reach their personal and professional potential. Receiving this award is testament to the progress we have made in creating a diverse, inclusive and balanced workplace.
As DesignInc Sydney HR Manager Tara Keast said in her acceptance speech:
‘We all know there are many hidden forces at play that make it easier for some to succeed, and harder for others. At DesignInc Sydney we actively take steps to understand these barriers within our organisation and the broader industry, and to challenge them.’
Tara Keast
Human Resources Manager, DesignInc Sydney
‘In a male dominated industry, we proudly have 50% gender equality at the Director level and 48% throughout the company
We’re members of Champions of Change, working with our industry on supporting Women to be given the opportunities to develop and succeed.
Our staff represent 28 different cultures across our 100 staff here in Sydney. We love what such a culturally diverse company brings to our company culture and approach to design.
We also proudly sponsor First Nations scholarship student at University of Western Sydney. He’s a sweet first year student studying architecture.
We’ve also partnered with Craig Kerslake architect and Wiradjuri man, on Nguluway DesignInc, to bring meaningful designing from Country practice into projects.
Many hands worked together to get us to where we are today and I’m proud to be one set of those.’
‘Many hands worked together to get us to where we are today and I’m proud to be one set of those.’
Tara Keast
Human Resources Manager, DesignInc Sydney
Research continues to demonstrate that inclusion and diversity in the workplace benefits not only the internal culture, but also outcomes such as creativity, strategic thinking, productivity and profit. In other words it’s a win-win for teams, clients, projects and the business.
DesignInc Sydney is thrilled to announce the launch of our first ‘Innovate’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), committing to practical actions to strengthen relationships, create mutual respect improve the opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
We are proud to announce the first donor-funded scholarship supporting an Indigenous Australian student in Western Sydney University’s faculty of Architecture.
For the last few years DesignInc Sydney has been on a journey to increase female representation across all levels within the company.
Transport infrastructure projects change lives. Yet they are complex to get right, requiring a balance of technical requirements with considerations such as heritage, accessibility, bushfire, landscape, urban and local community contexts.
Principal Urban Designer Lynne Hancock joined DesignInc Sydney’s urban design and planning team in 2019, bringing her wide range of experience and expertise.