Several companies working in the property space have been named as Employers of Choice for Gender Equality from the Workplace Gender Equality Agency. 90 companies received the honour, including architecture firm GHD, which has been acknowledged for the second year running for its various initiatives to promote a diverse workforce.

WGEA Director Libby Lyons said the initiatives demonstrated by this year’s recipients showed that more employers were taking a sophisticated and whole-of-organisation approach to supporting equal participation by women and men at all levels of the workplace.

Arup engineering consultants, and construction and developer outfits Mirvac and Lend Lease were also named on the list, which contains a diverse range of companies, from fast food outlets to university organisations.

Phil Duthie, GHD’s General Manager – Australia who is also a WGEA Pay Equity Ambassador and a member of Consult Australia’s Male Champions of Change group, said it is great to see real change happening in a historically male-dominated industry like property and architecture.

Duthie said he is particularly proud of the flexible working policy introduced by GHD earlier this year to help men and women balance work and personal commitments. The company is now seeing more people with flexible working and part time contracts applying for management and other key positions.