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August 2024
At EnergyAustralia we’ve celebrated Wear it Purple Day (WIPD) since 2015. Every year we’ve enjoyed donning the colour purple to support LGBTQA+ youth and the wider rainbow community, as part of our activities promoting diversity, equity and inclusion across the entire organisation.
We show our support of WIPD in a variety of ways – not just through cupcakes (but who can deny it, everyone certainly enjoys getting together for a sweet rainbow-coloured treat!) and clothing, but also through actively showing the value of diversity, inclusion and visibility for everyone.
And as an organisation, we’re mindful of this not just on WIPD, but as part of our everyday behaviour and actions.
Showing passion and pride
This year’s WIPD theme, ‘Your Passion, Your Pride’ was celebrated across EnergyAustralia; from our generation sites to our corporate office and contact centres, with a panel event, inclusive leadership training and gatherings in support of LGBTQA+ youth. We also enjoyed hearing personal stories shared by our LGBTQA+ team members. We loved seeing our people feeling safe and empowered to bring their whole self to work and raising awareness of the challenges many LGBTQA+ people may experience.
Visibility and inclusion at EnergyAustralia
Our internal Prism Network, which strives to drive a culture of safety, inclusion and belonging for our LGBTQA+ community, helped make WIPD an engaging and meaningful occasion for all at EnergyAustralia. Membership of the Prism Network is open to all our people, whether as an identifying member of the LGBTQA+ community or as allies and advocates.
Our Prism co-chairs, Lauren Horwood and Zeke Farrell, praised the impact Prism and WIPD have in raising awareness.
Lauren said, “Since the launch of our Prism network in 2016, our wonderful volunteer committee has been able to raise awareness and bring to life a large community of allies for our LGBTQA+ employees, family and friends.
“The support we receive across the organisation becomes particularly evident during our flagship events like Wear it Purple Day and drives a culture of safety and inclusion,” she said.
Zeke said, "The importance of Wear it Purple Day lies in how to support your LGBTQA+ youth and ensure that they are aware that places, spaces and people are safe.
“Growing up in a small regional town in NSW, I didn’t have access to the visibility and days like WIPD and am grateful that EnergyAustralia has continued to celebrate this day since 2015,” he said.
You can meet some of our wonderful LGBTQA+ staff and allies in our video supporting WIPD. We look forward to celebrating future WIPD events – as always, with passion and pride.
