AGL Energy Limited (AGL) has pledged its support for marriage equality in Australia and joins other ASX top 50 companies and members of the Australian business community to back changes to the country’s marriage laws and support equal rights for all Australians.

Managing Director & CEO, Andy Vesey said: “AGL’s decision to support marriage equality is consistent with AGL’s support of diversity in the workforce. We recognise the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) employees to live and work, free of prejudice and discrimination, with all the essential freedoms enjoyed by other members of our organisation and the broader community.”

“Given that approximately seven percent of our employees across our regional and metropolitan sites identify as LGBTI, our support for marriage equality helps foster an inclusive and open workplace which will drive higher levels of employee wellbeing and productivity,” said Mr Vesey. AGL’s position was strongly endorsed by AGL’s Board, management and LGBTI employee inclusion network, ‘AGL Shine’.

In 2013 AGL publicly committed to review its employment policies for LGBTI employees and subsequently implemented an LGBTI inclusion strategy in 2014. AGL was recognised for supporting its LGBTI employees in May 2015, when AGL was rated as one of the best performing first-time entrants to the Australian Workplace Equality Index, which is published annually by Pride in Diversity.

About AGL
AGL is one of Australia’s leading integrated energy companies. It is taking action to responsibly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions while providing secure and affordable energy to its customers. Drawing on over 175 years of experience, AGL serves its customers throughout eastern Australia with meeting their energy requirements, including gas, electricity, solar PV and related products and services. AGL has a diverse power generation portfolio including base, peaking and intermediate generation plants, spread across traditional thermal generation as well as renewable sources including hydro, wind, solar, landfill gas and biomass.

Pride in Diversity is Australia’s first and only not-for-profit workplace program designed specifically to assist Australian employers with the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) employees. As a member-based program, Pride in Diversity works closely with HR, diversity professionals and LGBTI Network Leaders in all aspects of LGBTI equality and within all sectors of the Australian workforce. Drawing from extensive experience in organisational development, diversity practice and the implementation of LGBTI related initiatives within the workplace, Pride in Diversity brings with it years of both practical experience and know-how.