Gender Compass - Supporting social change for equality
For a gender-equal society, current social norms need to change. Heartward was chosen by Plan International and advisor Dr Rebecca Huntley to build a segmentation tool, providing gender equality advocates with a unified approach to understanding and communicating with Australian public about gender equality, to support more targeted and effective action.
“First-of-its-kind research segmenting the broader Australian public according to their gender equality beliefs, policy preferences and behaviours.”
We designed a detailed, intuitive and replicable series of questions endorsed by leading academics and advocates. Analysis of data gathered through an online survey of more than 2,500 Australians aged 16+. Given the complex and nuanced subject matter, the analysis process involved identifying underlying conceptual factors, analysing the spread of responses for key questions, trialling different inputs to segmentation analysis, and ultimately assessing and determining the optimal segment solution.
Six segments were identified, all differing in their experiences, views and support of gender equality: Trailblazer, Hopeful, Conflicted, Moderate, Indifferent and Rejector.
Gender Compass launched in 2023 to significant media attention, with several hundred people trained in the key findings and implications through events, roundtables, briefings and presentations. In 2024, the Gender Compass was one of four finalists for Philanthropy Australia’s Collaboration Award. The findings and reports are published and freely available.
With the support of gender equality advocates and philanthropic organisations, further development of the Gender Compass is being undertaken to test targeted messages and frames and further help sector partners embed the Compass in their strategies, communications and evaluation frameworks.