This is a very public request for women and men to consider joining the new Carlton in Business program. Especially women.

We have our program launch next Friday 15 April at Crown Palladium, 12 to 3pm. Our guest speaker is Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria, and the event promises to create great networking opportunities across a diversity of businesses.

As you also probably know Carlton has lots of women supporters including a strong band of female supporters that have made up Women of Carlton.

Carlton is really committed to improving its engagement with women, as employees, as members and as players. I’m delighted to have joined their board and I’ve seen lots of signs showing they mean business, including Rosie Batty speaking at our President’s Lunch this week and Kristy McKellar speaking recently to the whole Club. We want women involved in all our programs.

But here is the thing: we have launched a new Carlton in Business program and we are pleased to have more than 70 new members to that program, but only 1 woman.

While plenty of women will be attending events as guests of members, I am hoping women will see the opportunity of joining the group themselves. It includes 3 x tables of 10 over the year at great Carlton events and 2 individual networking events. This means having fun while helping your business! Click here for more information.

If you are curious to learn more, please contact camille.kennedy@carltonfc.com.au. If you want to come and try it out on the 15th of April, Camille will be happy to look at you joining one of my tables. I would love to see you: women and men.

Kate Jenkins is the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner. She joined the Carlton Board of Directors in October 2015.