March marked the start of the 500 Women in Property program, a new initiative run by the Property Council of Australia to promote gender diversity and increase opportunities for women within the property industry.

Recognising the need for such a program in Tasmania, Cumulus staff members Claire Austin and Amanda York were quick to get involved – Claire as a participant and Amanda as her sponsor.

Both Claire and Amanda attended the launch event last week and were encouraged by the drive and commitment shown by this year’s participants.

As a participant, Claire hopes to support junior employees within the program and foster a culture of collaboration and positive action. Throughout the 12 month program Claire will also be looking to explore the various diversity measures currently implemented by similar Tasmanian businesses.

As a business we will provide regular opportunities for Claire and Amanda to share skills and experiences learned within the program and hope to lead positive new strategies through their direction.

It’s no secret Tasmania currently falls behind the eightball in terms of gender diversity in the property industry, and so it’s encouraging to see large organisations helping to drive positive change.

We would like to commend the Property Council, individual sponsors and participants for their commitment to this important initiative.

Best of luck to all involved!