Employing Older Workers Report Commissioner Patterson was pleased to be involved once more in the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI) older worker survey in 2021, following similar surveys in 2014 and 2018. The 2021 survey contained some key results, including: • Respondent organisations who say they ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ have an age above which they are reluctant to recruit has dropped from 52% in 2014 to 27% in 2021. This is encouraging. • However, the number who responded ‘maybe’, rather than they would ‘definitely’ or ‘probably not’ have an age limit, has increased. • Respondents’ perception of what age range constitutes an ‘older’ worker has shifted to a younger age over the three surveys. • In 2018, 11% of respondents identified people 51–55 years as an ‘older’ worker. In 2021 this has increased to 17%. Across the same period there has also been an 8% drop in those selecting 61–65 as the appropriate age range of ‘older’ workers. These findings are of concern. • The number of respondents who recognise that the departure of older workers causes a loss of key skills or knowledge has increased by 14% since 2014. • However, there is little or no increase in the same time period in organisations that take action to capture corporate knowledge as older workers transition out of the workplace. Overall, the research suggests some small continuing gains, but also a number of areas where progress has stalled or even gone backwards. This survey was completed during the COVID-19 period, and it is likely that this had an impact on the answers and on organisational behaviours. The survey received widespread media coverage, and the results will continue to inform strategies and advocacy for both Commissioner Patterson and AHRI. Sport and cultural reform The Commission regularly operates through partnerships and collaborations with government, business, the non-government sector, and internationally. We have built a reputation for expertise in human rights in research, consultation, and implementation design. Our operation as an independent agency is critical to our capability in this regard: it means we are a trusted neutral interlocutor that can bring diverse, and often competing, interests together to address difficult human rights challenges. Over several years of engagement and partnerships programs, the Commission has developed a strategic focus on sport and human rights. The growing interest from sporting bodies to collaborate with the Commission is a testament to our knowledge, expertise, and the value we bring to these relationships. In 2021–2022, the Commission will continue to build on our extensive work and relationships in the area of sport. For example, the Commission is partnering with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association 64 Australian Human Rights Commission Annual Report 2020–2021