How to find baseline data for gender equality targets

Unsure of how to find baseline data for gender equality targets for your workplace? This PDF guide will help you to locate your baseline information in your WGEA reports and check whether you are eligible for each target you want to select. 

Starting in 2026 employers who directly employ 500 or more employees (known as DREs) must select and commit to achieving 3 gender equality targets. The information your organisation reported to WGEA for your baseline year will help you to choose your targets and track your progress against them. WGEA will also use the baseline year information to assess whether you have met your targets or demonstrated improvement against them at the end of the 3-year cycle. 

Download the targets baseline data guide

Updates to the guide

WGEA updated the Finding your Baseline Guide in December 2025 based on employer questions and feedback. The following changes have been made to enhance clarity.

New section: When is the target ‘met’?

  • Added guidance on what constitutes meeting each target.

Refined eligibility rules

  • Undertake gender pay gap analysis (action target).
  • Improve flexible work offerings for employees (action target).
  • Mechanisms for reporting to employer's CEO, key management personnel and governing body on sexual harassment (action target).

Enhanced guidance on percentage point change for numeric targets

  • Gender pay gap: round to one decimal place
  • Pay quartiles and composition: use whole numbers only (no decimals).

Clarification on action targets

  • Improve flexible work offerings for employees: Clarified that having 6 or more of the entitlements listed at 1a-1g in place in the baseline does not prevent selection.
  • Undertake gender pay gap analysis: Confirmed that completing an ‘overall’ gender pay gap analysis does not prevent selection.
  • Improve supports for employees experiencing family and domestic violence: Clarified paid leave requirements.

Improved readability

  • Simplified language and strengthened guidance to make the Finding Your Baseline Guide easier to navigate and apply.

📅 Key Dates

  • Private sector baseline: 2024–25 reporting period
  • Public sector baseline: 2024 reporting period
  • New DREs use the year they become a DRE as their baseline

Additional resources

Targets hub

Text in Orange and white reads Workplace Gender Equality Targets Hub on the right of screen. There is a logo - a uncompleted circle made up of yellow, orange and blue tiles, on top of a image of silhouettes of people in front of a window

Everything you need to know about workplace gender equality targets, in one place.

Targets masterclasses

Text on right of screen says Workplace Gender Equality Targets Masterclass in orange and white writing, on the left of screen is a close up photo of the hands of people seated at a big table writing. The logo is also on the photo - a circle with a triangle tip, made up of orange, yellow, blue and black tiles.

Book into an online Targets Masterclass with our gender equality experts.

Targets selection guide

Text reads Workplace Gender Equality Targets Selection Guide in orange and white text, next to a colourful circle made up of six tiles in yellow, red and blue with a black arrow. The background image is a office with men and women working on their computers.

The key steps to selecting gender equality targets that drive real change.