Proud of the progress, committed to going further: ING named Employer of Choice for Gender Equality by WGEA

ING Australia has again been named an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) for 2026-2028 by the Workplace Gender Equity Agency (WGEA) recognising the bank’s sustained commitment to creating a fair, inclusive and equitable workplace for all employees.

As an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality since 2021, ING is proud to be placed among Australia’s leading organisations driving long term change in our workplaces and communities.  The recognition reflects the bank’s ongoing action to gender equality, inclusive leadership, flexible work and transparent reporting, all core to ING’s purpose.

ING Australia CEO Melanie Evans said the continued EOCGE accreditation highlights the progress ING continues to make.

“Being recognised again by WGEA as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality reinforces the steps we’re taking to build a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected and supported,” Ms Evans said.

“We’re proud of our progress, and we know there is more to do. We’re focused on creating sustainable gender balance across all levels, ensuring every person at ING has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

WGEA CEO Mary Wooldridge congratulated ING Australia for their work to be recognised through the WGEA Workplace Gender Equality citation. “Holding the Workplace Gender Equality Citation provides national recognition that ING is deeply committed to positive action to achieve gender equality in their workplace,” Ms Wooldridge said.

“Citation holders demonstrate strong gender-equal outcomes at the moments that matter most to women and men at work. They go beyond policy and programs, embedding gender equality into the everyday employee experience.”

2024-25 Gender Pay Gaps Report Results

In March 2026, WGEA published gender pay gap results for 10,500 Australian employers, including ING Australia.

The report showed ING’s gender pay gap (total remuneration) has reduced to 17.9%, a 2.9 percentage point improvement since March 2024, sitting well below the midpoint for the Financial and Insurances Services industry of 21.4%.  This reflects the positive impact of ING’s continued focus on gender balance, leadership representation and pay equity.

ING also maintained a gender-balanced workforce, with women making up 48% of all staff and has achieved gender-balanced leadership representation (40+% women) at the board (50%), executive committee (55%) and senior leadership (41%) levels.

Despite these positive results, the bank is putting more resources to strengthening a gender-balanced leadership pipeline, particularly to boost the number of women at the middle management level.

Ms Evans added, “We continue to iterate because we recognise there’s no silver bullet. We’re investing in leadership pathways, targeted development programs and strategies that strengthen the pipeline of women into more senior and higher-paying roles across our workforce, not just the executive level.”

Ongoing commitments driving change

ING continues to invest in initiatives that support gender balance and inclusion, including:

• Annual gender pay equity reviews
• Flexible working practices embedded across the organisation
• Family-inclusive policies supporting parents and carers
• Leadership development, mentoring and learning programs
• Structured recruitment and promotion processes designed to improve gender representation
• Active Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) communities fostering everyday inclusion

“We’re making ING a place where people can do their best work and while we’re proud of the progress, we know there’s still more to do,” Ms Evans said.