GEAP Progress Reports OLD

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CFA will need to measure its progress towards workplace gender equality, through regular reporting.

Reporting on progress is important to evaluate the success of our Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) and gender impact assessments. This will help us achieve workplace gender equality and promote gender equality in our policies, programs and services. CFA is required to submit a progress report to the Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner every two years after submitting our initial GEAP, commencing in 2023.

Progress reports must include:

what policies, programs and services were subject to a gender impact assessment
what actions we have taken as a result of the gender impact assessment
our progress in relation to the measures and strategies set out in our Gender Equality Action Plan
our progress in relation to the workplace gender equality indicators

Gender Impact Assessments
Strategies and Measures
Workplace gender equality indicators

Gender Impact Assessments

View the full progress report

View the Commission's public data insight portal

Summary

Title	Description	Actions taken
Mobile Education Unit	Mobile Engagement Unit - the platform required to enable members to more efficiently and effectively engage community for promotional, recruitment and community engagement activities.	Purchase a smaller van type MEU able to be driven on car licence with the following benefits: 1. improved for more members with anecdotal evidence suggesting female members would be advantaged by this with majority of females not holding a heavy vehicle licence. 2.Greater confidence operating smaller more car sized vehicle. 3. MEU power supply and equipment to be inbuilt and not require additional set up when in use. No heavy lifting and no mechanical knowledge required. 4. Limit to equipment storage to maintain size & weight limits. 5. Potential increase in costs due to alternative power option. 6. Benefits of building a gender friendly MEU far outweigh alternative option. Would expect to see long term increase in female participation.
Delivering station improvements to 40 stations to support gender diversity and inclusion for the volunteer members, provision of new ablutions and changing facilities at three VEMTC volunteer training campuses.	Upgrade of toilet facilities - Some of CFA’s current assets and infrastructure may not meet contemporary safety and inclusion standards expected by members. For example, some CFA fire stations do not include toilets, changing facilities and/or toilets for multiple genders. Left unaddressed, these issues can significantly affect member wellbeing, erode CFA’s volunteer base and make it difficult to attract new volunteers. This would have a significant negative effect on existing members, the communities we protect and the Victorian tax payer. CFA sought and received $8 million in 21-22 budget allocation from Victorian Government to upgrade facilities at 40 stations.	Changing room and toilet facilities are required – and should be available to meet the diversity of the volunteer base. Where there are limited or non-existent personal amenities, including change rooms and toilets in fire station infrastructure is not fit for purpose. Where practical and possible we continue to address obstacles to enable all users (both operational and those that hold other roles) to fully participate in all functions and roles of CFA. To roll out this change, our Infrastructure Team have begun the following actions: Review applicable standards and good practice guidelines to determine minimum requirements and assessment criteria. Commenced desktop assessment of applicable standards and guidelines for CFA work locations. Liaised with industry regarding expectations for government facilities. Conducted initial location audits against identified criteria and compile a register for all CFA work locations. Commenced desktop assessment of CFA fire stations, focussed on toilet facilities as initial priority. Created central register of amenities at CFA fire stations related to equitable access to facilities.
Head Office Refurbishment	CFA Head Office Refurbishment at the time of undertaking the GIA CFA occupied four leased premises. CFA consolidated the Head Office operations into two of the leased buildings. The retained CFA office facilities were refurbished and updated to accommodate workstations, meeting rooms, collaborative spaces and associated staff areas and provide a more contemporary and consistent working environment for CFA staff based at head office.	As a result of Gender Impact Assessment undertaken, we identified opportunity to create a inclusive environment for women and people of diverse gender and also for people from other represented groups, encompassing cultural and religious diversity and providing for accessibility needs. This highlights the growing culture of applying an intersectional lens to our project and policies at CFA. The new facilities incorporates dedicated spaces for the following activities: Wellness room Prayer room Parents room End of trip facilities for change and shower facilities.
Fire Medical Response	Fire Medical Response (FMR) program will train and equipment members of 50 Brigades to provide medical first response services to community members suffering from suspected cardiac arrest. When a Triple 0 call is made and the patient’s medical episode is classified as an event triggering an FMR response, FMR responders from the local Brigade will be paged to the event. Ambulance Victoria (AV) will also respond to the event. FMR is not a substitute for AV services.	A range of measures have been considered to counteract gender inequality which may otherwise be present in the FMR Program including the creation and issuing of new Personal Protective Clothing (PPC). These measures included ensuring PPC addresses gender concerns including, fit, function and comfort. They also involved the need to ensure recruitment and retention of female and people of diverse genders in the program. This program is due to commence mid-year 2024, so we will be able to report back in the next reporting period of the learning and updates resulting from this GIA.

Strategies and Measures

The 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2025 progress report has not been checked for compliance by the Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector and may be subject to changes.

CFA’s 2026-2030 Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) outlines a targeted program of work designed to strengthen leadership capability, improve transparency, modernise systems and support a fair, safe and consistent experience for all CFA people. The GEAP is grounded in CFA’s strategic direction and aligns with the Victorian Government’s commitment to gender equality across the public sector but importantly reflects our workforce data, people matters survey insights and strong feedback from our employees. The 21 strategies build on existing work, add value to current initiatives and target gaps and opportunity for improvement.

Indicator 1

Workforce Gender Composition

Indicator 2

Governing Body Composition

Indicator 3

Equal Remuneration

Indicator 4

Sexual Harassment

Indicator 5

Recruitment, Retention and Promotion

Indicator 6

Flexible Work, Leave an Caring Supports

Indicator 7

Occupational Gender Segregation

Strengthen workforce data, insights and leadership capability to support fair and transparent workforce decisions

CFA Strategic Direction — Goal 3: Great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures - Workforce reflects community; Accountability for behaviour; Staff support and empowerment

Indicator	Strategy (Action numbers embedded)	Responsible	Timeline	Measures	Targets
Indicator 1: Workforce Gender Composition	Action 1: Improve workforce data dashboards, reporting and insights	People & Culture	2025 - 2027	Gender composition of the duty holder organisation; Gender composition of part time workers in the duty holder organisation; Workforce dashboard established; Reporting frequency quarterly from 2027	Workforce gender dashboard operational by 2027 Quarterly reporting from 2027 and Annual reporting to Executive and Board from 2027
	Action 2: Investigate modernisation of workforce system and data capability	People Services / PXI	2027 - 2028	HRIS System review completed by 2028 Data capability uplift planned	HRIS review completed by 2028 Modernisation plan approved by 2029
	Action 3: Implement inclusive leadership modules and tools to support consistent behavioural expectations	PXI	2025–2026	Measure gender participation across leadership programs 40/40/20 Explore podcasts, microlearning to value add to programs	Leadership development participation achieves minimum 40/40/20 by 2029

Maintain strong Board gender balance and strengthen governance capability across all members

CFA Strategic Direction Goal 4: Governance & transparency and Goal 3 We provide a great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures Corporate governance effectiveness; Accountability for behaviour

Indicator	Strategy (Action numbers embedded)	Responsible	Timeline	Measures	Targets
Indicator 2: Governing Body Composition	Action 4: Monitor and report Board gender representation	PXI / Governance	2027	Gender composition of the duty holder organisation's governing body (in dashboard) Module participation rates	Annual Board composition reporting from 2026
Indicator 2: Governing Body Composition	Action 5: Governance module rollout to strengthen gender responsive decision making	PXI	2025 - 2027	Governance module released Module completion rates	Governance module released by 2026 Participation increases 5% annually from 2027

Improve pay equity transparency and strengthen systems that support fair progression and classification decisions

CFA Strategic Direction Goal 3: Great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures Workforce reflects community; Accountability for behaviour; engagement and empowerment

Indicator

Strategy
(Action numbers embedded)

Responsible

Timeline

Measures

Targets

Indicator 3: Equal Remuneration

Action 6: Strengthen pay equity analytics, reporting and transparency

PXI

2027

Annual analysis and reporting

Annual pay equity reporting from 2027
Gaps investigated and actioned annually
Gender remuneration gaps reduce over GEAP

Action 7: Complete annual pay equity analysis and share insights with leaders

PXI

2027

Critial performance measures
Mean total remuneration gender pay gap by occupation group
Mean total remuneration senior leader gender pay gap

Supplementary measures
Mean base salary pay gap
Median total remuneration pay gap
Median base salary pay gap

Strengthen psychological safety and build a consistent, trauma informed response to inappropriate behaviour

CFA Strategic Direction Goal 3: Great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures Workplace safety; accountability for behaviour

Indicator	Strategy (Action numbers embedded)	Responsible	Timeline	Measures	Targets
Indicator 4: Sexual Harassment	Action 8: Review sexual harassment complaint process to ensure trauma informed and compliant care is at the forefront	Resolution Support	2026 - 2027	Anonymous experience rate of sexual harassment Number of formal reports of sexual harassment Participants to who said they reported sexual harassment Reasons for not making a formal sexual harassment complaint Satisfaction with handling of workplace sexual harassment complaint Satisfaction with handling of formal workplace sexual harassment complaint Review the complaint process Establish a baseline for escalations and review requests Annual deidentified reporting Review training packages and procedures Plan delivery, roll out and record participation rates	Complaint process reviewed and updated by 2027 Baseline for escalations by 2028
	Action 9: Improve transparency of complaint themes/outcomes through deidentified reporting	Resolution Support / PXI	2025 - 2028	Annual deidentified reporting defined Communications plan	Annual reporting from 2027
	Action 10: Review and update sexual harassment training content and procedures	PXI	2026–2028	Training packages sourced Participation rates	50% participation by 2029
	Action 11: Deliver active bystander and speaking up programs	Culture & Inclusion / PXI	2026–2028	Training packages sources Participation rates	50% participation by 2029
	Action 12: Review Sexual Harassment content in training packages	Culture & Inclusion / PCBP	2025–2027	Policy implementation Communications plan	Policy implemented by 2027 Policy awareness communications delivered

Increase transparency and consistency in recruitment, promotion and career development pathways

CFA Strategic Direction Goal 3: Great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures Workforce reflects community; members empowered and supported; Sustainable workforce

Indicator	Strategy (Action numbers embedded)	Responsible	Timeline	Measures	Targets
Indicator 5: Recruitment, Retention and Promotion	Action 13: Improve transparency in recruitment and promotion processes	PXI / People & Culture	2025 - 2027	Gender composition of recruited employees Gender composition of employees who were promoted Perceptions of recruitment by gender Perceptions of promotion by gender	Communicate recruitment and promotion data
	Action 14: Establish mentoring programs and explore shadowing programs for all genders	PXI	2026 - 2027	Participation in programs Participant feedback Reviews completed	Mentoring program established by 2027 Shadowing program explored by 2028 20 participants annually by 2028
	Action 15: Uplift current induction package to strengthen early employee experience	PXI	2027 –2029	Induction program reviewed	95% of induction modules completed by new starters within 6 months
	Action 16: ImproveProfessional Development Planning supporting material to strengthen career development conversations	PXI	2028 –2029

Embed flexible work and caring supports that are easy to access, consistently applied and supportive of all life stages

CFA Strategic Direction Goal 3: Great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures Workplace safety; members supported and empowered; Sustainable workforce

Indicator	Strategy (Action numbers embedded)	Responsible	Timeline	Measures	Targets
Indicator 6: Flexible Work, Leave and Caring Supports	Action 17: Redesign flexible work and parental leave processes	People Services	2026 - 2027	Redesign complete Average weeks of parental leave, by gender Uptake of flexible work, by gender Perceptions of flexible work culture, by gender	Flexible work uptake increase 2029 Parental leave baseline by 2027
	Action 18: Strengthen return to work, caring and leave supports	People Services	2027	Flexible work uptake by gender Parental leave baseline established Retention after parental leave Access to caring and leave supports Communication activities delivered Access to leave and assistance programs	Retention above 70% Increased access to caring and leave supports
	Action 19: Raise awareness of family violence leave and assistance	People Services / Culture & Inclusion	2027	Comms plan developed and delivered Access to caring and leave supports Training for family violence contact people	Annual training for family violence contact people
	Action 20: Develop health information including menopause awareness	Health Services / Culture & Inclusion	2027	Health resources developed Online resource access Awareness activities delivered	Health information resources available online by 2027 Annual promotion of health and menopause supports Included in onboarding / induction Annual Family violence contact person training Menopause plan by 2027 INTERNAL reproductive health and wellbeing leave

Strengthen pathways, capability and support to increase participation in underrepresented roles

CFA Strategic Direction Goal 3: Great place to volunteer and work CFA 2026 Measures Workforce reflects community; members empowered and supported; Sustainable workforce

Indicator	Strategy (Action numbers embedded)	Responsible	Timeline	Measures	Targets
Indicator 7: Occupational Gender Segregation	Action 21: Strengthen career planning and development across all regions and role types	PXI	2028 - 2029	Occupational segregation Website / resource refresh PPR completion PDP completion Access to support services	Website refresh completed 2027 90% PPR completion 60% PDP development participation Access to development supports Explore workforce guidelines
Indicator 7: Occupational Gender Segregation	Action 22: Refresh online resources to support career mobility and access to development opportunities	PXI / Comms	2028 - 2029	Storytelling workshops Microlearning resources developed Participation rates Psychological safety	Access to development supports