Alice Young

Alice Young is the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead for IKEA Group Australasia

As a new Australian I began my career in the UK and have worked in Human Resources for over 20 years both in Australia and in London, in both the commercial and not for profit sectors.

After the boxing day tsunami, my husband and I moved to Sri Lanka to help with the relief effort and I volunteered for the International Organisation for Migration, until I got dengue fever. Whilst recovering in London I studied Human Rights Law at London School of Economics, and then commenced work in the international development sector with Marie Stopes International supporting 40 countries globally. From there I moved to Amnesty International in the global head office and my passion for social justice was cemented.

Since returning to Australia in 2013 I have worked mostly in the commercial sector and leveraged my background in non-profits and international development to transition to Diversity and Inclusion which I approach from a rights-based perspective. A year ago I joined IKEA AU as E, D&I Leader, to start up the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion function in Australia. In this role I have three main areas of focus: 1) ensuring that our co-workers are as diverse and inclusive as they can be, 2) integrating equality into our business and 3) ensuring that we as a company advocate for change in society and encourage our co-workers and customers to do the same.

A flagship initiative that I’ve spent most of the year building is a paid work-placement program for refugees and asylum seekers that launches in NSW in October 2020 with the aim of removing barriers to access to employment and providing pathways to integration.

I was recently voted onto the Executive Committee of NEEOPA – the NSW Equal Employment Opportunity Practitioners Association, a not for profit organisation that provides a community for progressive employers and D&I practitioners to share, learn and grow.

In my spare time I am a mentor with the Australian Human Resources Institute, and I also volunteer for organisations that support animal rights. When doing none of the above you can find me walking my rescue greyhounds, hiking, or trying to master yoga!

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