TLDR:
Elaine Stead, a VC investor, has launched a crowdsourced resource to address sexism in Australia’s tech sector. The free handbook contains industry codes of conduct and methods of reporting inappropriate behaviors. The goal is to provide a one-stop-shop for resources to address bullying, harassment, and abuse in the tech industry.
Full Article:
VC investor Elaine Stead has launched a free handbook on how to address sexism, harassment, and inappropriate behaviors in Australia’s tech sector. The resource, titled “Addressing Sexism in Australian Tech & Investment,” is a crowdsourced compilation of industry codes of conduct, reporting methods, and enforcement measures contributed by tech leaders in Australia.
Stead’s goal is to create a living document that can be continuously updated with new approaches and solutions. The report highlights the challenges in addressing problems such as bullying, harassment, and abuse in the tech industry, and emphasizes the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Stead’s personal experience of harassment has fueled her efforts to combat sexism in the tech sector. She launched a defamation case against a former columnist and was awarded $280,000 in damages. Following a recent incident of online harassment, a grassroots initiative called Grapevine was launched to share stories and provide advice on addressing workplace problems.
The handbook aims to lower the barriers to addressing poor behavior by providing free resources to tech companies and individuals. Stead encourages contributions from diversity, equity, and inclusion specialists, Australian VCs, and other tech sector leaders to enhance the resource.
Overall, Elaine Stead’s initiative aims to create a more inclusive and respectful environment in Australia’s tech ecosystem by addressing sexism and inappropriate behaviors in the industry.
