Maturity Matrix Tool

Empowering organisations to move beyond compliance, toward sustained, strategic progress in gender equity and leadership

The Maturity Matrix is a practical, evidence-based tool designed to help organisations self-assess and guide their progress in implementing gender equity processes, with the ultimate goal of achieving gender equality in leadership.

Developed by the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, the tool draws on methodologies from engineering and implementation science.[1],[2],[3] It is informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR)[4] and Learning Health Systems[5] models. While originally designed for and piloted in the healthcare sector, the Maturity Matrix is adaptable and applicable across all sectors.

The Maturity Matrix complements organisations’ reporting requirements under legislation – which primarily focus on workforce outcomes (equality) – such as the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012, which received new amendments in 2023 through the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Closing the Gender Pay Gap) Bill 2023[6] and the Gender Equality Act 2020 (Victoria).[7]

To accelerate progress toward gender equality in leadership, organisations need more structured guidance for assessing and embedding gender equity practices. The Maturity Matrix fills this gap by providing a framework to evaluate and strengthen the systems and processes that underpin sustainable change.

By incorporating the Maturity Matrix, organisations can:

• Internally measure and benchmark their organisational maturity in gender equity practices

• Focus on systems-level, evidence-based practices and drive meaningful culture change

• Identify clear next steps for improvement and alignment with best-practice gender equity strategies, in a simplified, user-friendly and efficient process

• Promote accountability and transparency across the organisation

Flexible Application
This tool is designed to support organisations at any stage of their gender equity and leadership maturity journey—whether at an early, intermediate, or advanced level. It enables continuous learning and improvement across all gender, equity, diversity and inclusion domains.

Structured, Stepwise Approach
Organisations are encouraged to follow the step-by-step process as outlined in the accompanying materials. The assessment begins with Stakeholder Engagement and progresses sequentially through each domain, concluding with Implementation, ensuring a logical and cumulative development pathway.

[1] Rajit, D. et al. The Monash Learning Health System Maturity Matrix: Codesign of a Tool to Measure and Guide Improvement in Complex Health System Behaviour [preprint]. (2025).

[2] Lannon, C. et al. A maturity grid assessment tool for learning networks. Learn. Health Syst. 5, e10232 (2021).

[3] Maier, A. M., Moultrie, J. & Clarkson, P. J. Assessing Organizational Capabilities: Reviewing and Guiding the Development of Maturity Grids. IEEE Trans. Eng. Manag. 59, 138–159 (2012).

[4] Damschroder, L. J., Reardon, C. M., Widerquist, M. A. O. & Lowery, J. The updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research based on user feedback. Implement. Sci. 17, 75 (2022).

[5] Enticott, J., Johnson, A. & Teede, H. Learning health systems using data to drive healthcare improvement and impact: a systematic review. BMC Health Serv. Res. 21, 200 (2021).

[6] Workplace Gender Equality Agency. Our Legislation. https://www.wgea.gov.au/about/our-legislation

[7] Commission for Gender Equality in the Public Sector. About the Gender Equality Act 2020. https://www.genderequalitycommission.vic.gov.au/about-gender-equality-act-2020 (2022)