group general counsel and group company secretary
Elaine Leong has been with The Benevolent Society for 10 years now, continuously demonstrating leadership in the in-house space and tirelessly working with all levels of the organisation to better the lives of children, families, older people, and people with disabilities.
A passionate human rights advocate, Leong has led the organisation into a human rights journey in the past 12 months, specifically bringing to bear a human rights culture and human rights compatible decision making. This rights-based approach has been particularly important during COVID-19, with Leong proactively developing a virtual temperature check to ensure a human rights approach to service delivery; as well as a remote working legal guide for staff who were forced to work from home due to the lockdown. Leong’s human rights leadership also saw her encouraging shared learning and collaboration between some of Australia’s most significant non-profits during COVID-19 on such issues as protection of vulnerable people, eradication of modern slavery, and working towards a platform for consumer voice.
