Name
Susie Babani
ANZ - Group Managing Director, Human Resources
Building an inclusive culture where the ideas, beliefs, attitudes and skills of every person are valued and respected is important to our business, our people and our customers. 
Name
Building an inclusive culture where the ideas, beliefs, attitudes and skills of every person are valued and respected is important to our business, our people and our customers.
The unique perspectives and contributions of a culturally diverse workforce are a source of ANZ’s innovation and business success. A Taste of Harmony is a fun way for us to celebrate our diversity with our colleagues, customers and communities.
Yes, very. Building an inclusive culture where the ideas, beliefs, attitudes and skills of every person are valued and respected is important to our business, our people and our customers.
I think that organisations that don’t embrace diversity will be left behind. As well as being a driver of employee attraction and retention, a diverse workforce gives you a great advantage because your people better reflect and better understand the needs of your customers in new and international markets.
Other benefits such as more effective decision-making and improved capacity for innovation naturally flow from teams with a diversity of perspectives and experiences.
ANZ supports diversity through awareness training, recruitment initiatives and support networks.
We have a Diversity Council which was established in 2004 to introduce policies and sponsor initiatives that create a more inclusive culture at ANZ. It’s chaired by our CEO, Mike Smith, and has 13 staff members. It also has a budget of $1 million to fund diversity and inclusion projects.
We also recently established a Cultural Diversity Network to help us harness culturally diverse contributions and ensure our people thrive.
I’ve always championed diversity issues. Maybe this comes from being born and brought up in England, having a German mother and a Spanish father. Maybe it’s because I’ve lived and worked in four continents. Maybe it’s because I love to travel. But if there’s one thing I’ve learnt in my career, it’s this - when you start to frame diversity in terms of its business benefits, you start to get momentum.
We’re inviting our staff in all of the countries in which we operate to celebrate with colleagues and customers over lunch with foods from different cultures. We’re also encouraging everyone to get creative. It could be a pot luck lunch where staff bring in a taste of their own culture, they can dress in national costume, set up a hawkers-style market or visit a restaurant serving different national cuisine. Whichever way they choose, it’s bound to be a fun and delicious way to celebrate.