The AFL is an extraordinary force in Australia’s sporting, social and cultural landscape and Our Purpose is to ‘progress the game so everyone can share in its heritage and possibilities’.

From grassroots and community club football, to the elite competition, we work for all levels of the game and believe it is for everyone. We’re about improving and evolving the game, ensuring it continues to be relevant now and into the future.

Our team is more than 1000 strong with people working across Australia and internationally. Our diverse group of people are at the heart of everything we do and bring innovative ideas, new ways of thinking and live our values to ensure the AFL is a successful and high performing organisation

Diversity and Inclusion

AFL Workforce Gender Action Plan

Our Workforce Gender Action Plan outlines the actions we have committed to over the next three years (2019-2021) to create an equal future for all our people at the AFL.

Highlights from the Plan include:

  • Creating more opportunities for talented women to progress within the industry
  • Supporting families through flexible working and parental leave (six months of paid parental leave for primary carers and six weeks for secondary carers, regardless of gender)
  • Our inaugural Men’s Development Program
  • Recruiting a more diverse workforce
  • Creating an inclusive workplace where all our people’s differences are valued
  • Acknowledgment by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality

AFLW creating opportunities on and off the field 

The year 2017 was a game changer for our organisation. We welcomed the NAB AFL Women’s Competition, which has given more than 400 women the opportunity to pull on their footy boots as professional football players.

Fast-forward three years, the impact of the AFLW is undeniable.

Female participation has grown by 31 per cent in 2019 alone. By its sheer volume - the AFLW competition has normalised the role of women playing a ‘man's’ game.

The number of AFLW clubs has almost doubled. Local and regional women's footy teams have tripled. And now, worldwide, almost one in three footy players are female.

The movement of women playing football has been propelled forward by AFLW players.
 

Investing in our people

Our talent programs form part of our broader commitment to invest in our talented people and supporting career progression within our industry.

Our key AFL Industry Talent Programs include NEXT - AFL Emerging Leaders Program, AFL Industry Women’s Leadership Program, AFL Industry GenW Executive Program and Evolve - the AFL’s personal and professional development program for men.
 

Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and their immense contribution to Australian Football is an integral part of the AFL and is celebrated in various ways.

Our organisation has a Reconciliation Action Plan which provides a framework which brings together our programs and initiatives to support the national reconciliation movement.

Our Values and Purpose

Our values were created by our team to guide our decisions and how we go about things in our workplace. Our values are important in bringing to life the culture we want at the AFL.

Performance is measured against the values each year and our Recognition and Reward program is aligned to the values.

  • PLAY AS ONE TEAM
  • PLAY WITH PASSION
  • PLAY FAIR
  • PLAY TO WIN
Our purpose is to progress the game so everyone can share in its heritage and possibilities and was developed following engagement and consultation across all areas of the organisation, ensuring we collaborated with and listened to our people.

Our purpose helps us to:
  • align and inspire our team under a clear and shared commitment
  • reflect the impact our organisation ultimately wants to have into the future
  • guide us in our day to day decision making