Industry leaders will gather to identify practical steps for building more inclusive workplaces in mortgage and finance broking
The Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) will hold its second Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Summit on 8 September in Sydney, bringing together leaders from across the mortgage and finance industry to discuss how to attract diverse talent and foster more inclusive workplaces.
The event, titled Opening Doors, is focused on moving beyond discussion and towards practical action. It builds on the inaugural summit held previously by the MFAA.
Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman will deliver a keynote address at the summit.
"We all want employees that work with equity, dignity and respect and feel included," Sivaraman (pictured right) said. "Racism, both interpersonal and systemic, prevents that. The first step for all organisations should be naming racism and intentionally tackling it."
MFAA chief executive Anja Pannek (pictured top) highlighted the importance of an industry that reflects its client base.
"Our industry supports Australians from every background through some of the most significant financial decisions of their lives, and it is important that the people within our industry reflect the diversity of the communities we serve," she said.
"We have made progress, but we know there is more work to do. Creating an industry where more people can see a place for themselves, feel included and have the opportunity to succeed benefits our members, their clients and the industry as a whole.
"Our second DEI Summit is about continuing that momentum and bringing people together to have the conversations that will help us drive meaningful and lasting change."
Dan Walsh (pictured right), the MFAA's executive for professional development and membership engagement, said the summit was designed with a focus on outcomes attendees could apply directly in their businesses.
"We want people to leave the summit not only thinking differently, but with ideas they can take back into their businesses and put into practice," he said. "That means listening to different experiences, being prepared to challenge our thinking and looking at the practical steps we can take to attract and retain more diverse talent and create genuinely inclusive workplaces.
"Bringing people together from across the industry gives us an opportunity to learn from each other and continue opening doors for more people to build successful careers in mortgage and finance broking."
The summit will cover topics including increasing female participation in the industry, creating clearer career pathways, and implementing workplace inclusion practices. Discussions will draw on the experiences of participants from across the sector.
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