Culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) women in Australian workplaces are ambitious, capable and resilient. Yet research has shown that they are faced with a range of entrenched systemic barriers that prevent them from reaching senior leadership. Realise. Inspire. Support. Energise. (RISE) was a groundbreaking project which aimed to break down systemic barriers and provide direct pathways for CARM women to reach senior leadership positions within Australian organisations.

This report presents initial insights from the RISE project, capturing what has been implemented, what has been learned and what is beginning to shift for those who participated. The report examines how organisations engage with the process of eliminating gendered racism in practice, providing practical insights into what it takes to move from intent to implementation. It identifies the unanticipated challenges and tensions that emerged during the project. By making these dynamics visible, the report offers a more realistic account of organisational change when it comes to addressing gendered racism.

The report shares these insights through five key themes:

• designing for intersectionality
• methodological insights
• systemic barriers and enablers
• designing for CARM women
• what works.