GE Targets overview

Employers who directly employ 500 or more employees in Australia are known as designated relevant employers (DREs). Under the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (the Act), DREs must:

• select 3 targets from the Gender Equality Targets Menu
• meet or demonstrate improvement against each target at the end of the 3-year target cycle.

These targets help employers take measurable action to improve gender equality in their workplace.

To comply with the targets requirements, you must:

1. Prepare and lodge your Gender Equality Report
Your report provides baseline information for selecting targets, tracking progress, and assessing compliance at the end of the 3-year target cycle.

2. Select 3 targets in the WGEA Employer Portal
As part of the Gender Equality Report, you will need to select 3 targets from the Targets Menu.

• At least one must be a numeric target with a nominated percentage point improvement.
• You cannot select an action target that your baseline shows is already in place.
• You must choose from the menu of 19 options (9 numeric and 10 action) - custom targets are not allowed.

3. Meet or show improvement against the selected targets
You have 3 years from selection to meet or demonstrate improvement against each of your selected targets.
 

• Baseline year: The year before you select your targets. The baseline information you report will enable you to consider which targets are most likely to improve gender equality and the actions you will take to meet them.
• Target selection: You will select your 3 targets when lodging your first Gender Equality Report following the baseline year.
• Assessment: At the end of the 3-year target cycle, WGEA will compare your final year results to your baseline to assess whether you have met or demonstrated improvement against each of your selected targets.

For employers selecting targets in 2026:

• You will select your targets when you lodge your Gender Equality Report in 2026.
• If you become a DRE in 2026 or later, you’ll select targets the year after you first report as a DRE.

You’ll be non-compliant if you:

• don’t select targets the year after your baseline.
• don’t meet or demonstrate improvement against each of your 3 selected targets at the end of the 3-year target cycle.

For example, if you don’t lodge your Gender Equality Report, you can’t select targets and you’ll be non-compliant for both failing to report and failing to select targets.

See Consequences of non-compliance for more information.

You’ll stop being a DRE if:

• your employee count falls below 400 for a continuous period of 6 months, or
• you no longer meet the definition of a relevant employer.

Even if you’re no longer required to meet targets, WGEA encourages you to continue working towards them.

Notify WGEA 

If you previously reported 500 or more employees and your employee count has dropped below 400 for at least 6 months, please email targets@wgea.gov.au

If you become a DRE again later, you must:

• re-establish your baseline
• select 3 new targets the year after your new baseline
• start a new 3-year cycle.

You cannot resume previously selected targets. The process must start again using your new baseline. 
 

If some or all subsidiaries in a corporate group have the same or similar gender equality policies, strategies and actions, they can report to WGEA as part of the same submission group.

If your submission group includes more than one DRE

Each DRE must:

• select their own targets, and
• ensure action targets can be implemented consistently across all entities in the submission group.

If, during the target cycle, a DRE implements new policies that are not consistent across all entities in the submission group, that DRE will need to lodge its own Gender Equality Report in subsequent years. This is because its workplace policies will no longer be considered ‘the same or similar’ to those of the other entities in the group.

Numeric targets do not need to be consistent across the group. Compliance will be assessed against the baseline reported to WGEA in the year before target selection.

What counts as ‘similar’ policies or strategies?

Policies or strategies are considered similar if they offer the same entitlements, outcomes and intent, even if they differ in branding, formatting or versioning.

For example, if one entity offers universal parental leave and another distinguishes between primary and secondary carers, the policies are not considered similar because the entitlements differ.

See Corporate structures for more information. 
 

Understand your obligations

Start by visiting the Gender Equality Targets Hub. It includes key resources to help you understand your responsibilities and prepare for target selection.

Plan the pre-reporting process

Use the steps below to confirm your DRE status and prepare for target selection.

Plan the reporting process

During the reporting lodgement period, you’ll use the WGEA Employer Portal to select your targets and specify the rate of improvement (in percentage points) and/or the actions to meet or demonstrate improvement against. 

Policies

• Policies are the guidelines, rules and procedures developed by an organisation to govern its actions (often in recurring situations).
• They provide employees with specific entitlements or rights and define the limits (dos and don’ts) within which decisions must be made.
• They are widely communicated and available to all staff.

Strategies

• A strategy is a plan of action designed to achieve one or more of an organisation’s objectives.
• Strategies fill the gap between 'where we are' and 'where we want to be' by asking, 'how are we going to get there?'
• They relate to how an organisation allocates and uses materials and human resources and require an executive decision.

Formal policy or strategy 

• A formal policy or strategy is a written document approved by human resources or management.
• While a strategy can exist without a policy, and vice versa, they often coexist and should be aligned to support each other.

Important

• A public sector-wide policy or strategy does not count as an organisational policy or strategy.
• Action targets require changes to policies.
• Free text responses in the Questionnaire are optional and won’t be used to assess eligibility or compliance. 
   

WGEA provides tools and guidance to help you understand your obligations, improve gender equality in your workplace and prepare for target selection:

• WGEA Gender Equality Targets Hub

• Gender Equality Targets: Frequently Asked Questions - provides answers to common questions about targets

• Targets Selection Guide: outlines a step-by-step process to select meaningful targets

• Finding Your Baseline: explains how you can locate baseline information and eligibility criteria

• Targets Menu Guide: provides a downloadable list of potential targets you can choose from

• Targets Masterclass: training sessions for employers to build their skills in selecting and implementing targets

• Direct Advisory Service: provides one-on-one advice on targets selection and addressing gender equality in your workplace

• Targets@wgea.gov.au: contact for eligibility and compliance enquiries

• WGEA Compliance Strategy: provides further information about compliance requirements