Today, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, our team gathered at UN Women Australia’s IWD 2025 lunch in Sydney, joining others in the call to #MarchForward for gender equality. We were especially excited to hear from Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC, Governor-General of Australia, whose prior leadership as Alberts’ first female board chair has left a lasting legacy. Sam’s bold, compassionate approach and commitment to fostering unity, equality and diversity, continues to shape the direction we take today.
As Patron of UN Women Australia, “It’s a partnership approach to achieving gender equality that makes the biggest difference,” said Ms Mostyn on stage before a room of 1700 at the Sydney International Convention Centre on Gadigal Land. In her work around the country, “I encounter Australian women who turn promises into progress every single day,” she added. “Every time we lift the tide, everyone rises.”
“I remain optimistic, but realistic. And hopeful,” said the Governor-General of the ongoing push for gender equality.
At Alberts, we are committed to driving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within our organisation and beyond through our advocacy, policies, values, and initiatives, shaped by our impact framework—focused on themes of equality, vibrant culture, healthy minds, and a sustainable environment. Ms Sam Mostyn AC’s appointment as our first female board chair was a milestone in this journey and we continue this momentum by seeking another female chair.
Our commitment to DEI is embedded in our internal operations, where we aim to integrate DEI considerations into daily decision-making. We are pleased to have received Work180 endorsement for our internal policies supporting equality, including flexible working, gender-neutral paid parental leave and superannuation contributions to employees taking parental leave. In parallel, through direct investments via Alberts Impact Ventures, we support female founders and back early-stage pioneers addressing systemic inequality, including Hatch and Samphire Neuroscience.
(From left): AGS board member Will Richardson; Alberts CFO Ben Edmonds, with AGS board members Emily Albert, David Albert, Ingrid Albert, previous AGS board chair Sam Mostyn (at her final board meeting in 2024), and AGS board members Kirsty Albert and Andrew Rothery.
As a family business, we are committed to advancing gender diversity in investment management and venture capital. As co-founders of Equity Clear—launched with Scale and Giant Leap—we track and publicly report on the gender composition of our Impact Ventures portfolio to promote transparency within the venture capital industry and support investment in female-identifying founders. As of December 2024, 42% of our invested capital is allocated to female or mixed-gender teams, surpassing industry benchmarks.
Reflecting on this year’s IWD theme, ‘March Forward – For ALL Women and Girls,’ we are reminded of the ongoing journey toward gender equality. We will continue to support efforts that level the playing field, while also recognising that some women face greater barriers due to their race, class, sexual orientation, disability or more which can have an even greater impact on inequality. As we focus on championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, we are committed to the role we can play in creating meaningful change for all women and girls.
