The Equality Institute

What The Equality Institute does

The Equality Institute (legally Equal Research Pty Ltd, ABN 66 606 843 163) is a Melbourne-based, for-profit social enterprise founded in 2015 that operates as a global feminist agency advancing gender equality and working to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG). Its work spans research, advocacy, and training, delivered across 35+ countries with deep concentration in the Asia-Pacific region. The organization sells through three commercial streams: (i) the EQI Learning digital course catalogue delivered via a WordPress/WooCommerce e-commerce site and the Go1 enterprise LMS marketplace, with individual seats priced at $49, a three-course bundle at $94, and an All Access Pass at $129 (annual subscriptions with 12-month access); (ii) bespoke workplace DEI and anti-sexual-harassment training sold via direct sales to organizations, exemplified by the 'Beyond Skin Deep' program delivered to 3,000 team members at Mecca; and (iii) research, evaluation, and policy advisory contracts with national governments (Timor-Leste, Vietnam, Cambodia, Kiribati, PNG) and multilateral donors including DFAT, the Gates Foundation, GIZ, Ford Foundation, Wellspring, and Sida.

The product surface combines a course catalogue (Gender Equality Foundations, Preventing Sexual Harassment, Reclaim: Feminist Leadership) with a free Research Library and a digital EQI Journal. EQI has built proprietary intellectual capital in VAWG prevention, most notably the MPPP (Making Progress in Prevention Possible) monitoring framework aligned with the UN RESPECT Framework and SDGs, an adaptation of the CHNRI participatory research methodology, and co-authorship with SVRI of the world's first Global Shared Research Agenda on VAWG. It also adapted Raising Voices' SASA! methodology into the Strengthening Peaceful Villages (SPV) programme delivered in Kiribati. The go-to-market is hybrid: direct-to-consumer course sales and email/editorial content marketing feed an SMB/individual funnel, while a sales-led motion pursues enterprise training contracts and government/institutional partnerships. The company holds Social Traders certification in Australia and complies with WCAG 2.1 AA, Australian Privacy Principles, and self-attested GDPR.

EQI is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, no parent company, and no public listing. Leadership is provided by Co-CEO Donna Davies. The company appears to operate on a hybrid economics of donor-funded institutional research/advocacy work and self-generated commercial revenue from courses and corporate training, with no revenue figure publicly disclosed.

Name

The Equality Institute

Legal name

Equal Research Pty Ltd trading as Equality Institute

Website

https://equalityinstitute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Equality Institute is a Melbourne-based social enterprise that combines proprietary VAWG prevention research, government advisory contracts, and a subscription-based digital course catalogue (EQI Learning) to deliver gender equality and violence prevention training and policy work across 35+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Digital Course Subscriptions: Online courses sold on a subscription model with tiered pricing (single course, bundle, all-access pass) with 12-month access periods. Revenue generated from individual learners and organizational team purchases.
2. Workplace Training Services: DEI training services for organizations, including bespoke workplace equality programs. Customized team training with pricing negotiated based on organization size.
3. Research and Consulting Contracts: Government and institutional contracts for research, evaluation, policy development, and technical assistance on VAWG prevention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Equality Institute delivers evidence-based gender equality training, violence prevention research, and policy advisory services. Its core commercial offering is EQI Learning, an online course platform with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility that serves both organizational teams (DEI training) and individual learners. The institute also conducts original VAWG (violence against women and girls) research, develops monitoring frameworks such as MPPP, and provides consulting and technical assistance to governments and NGOs across Asia-Pacific and beyond.

Product overview

The Equality Institute offers a unified platform of educational products centered on EQI Learning, which comprises online courses and training programs for both workplaces and individuals. The core product offerings include courses such as Gender Equality Foundations, Preventing Sexual Harassment, and Reclaim: Feminist Leadership. These self-paced digital courses are delivered through a Learning Management System (LMS) and are priced individually or in bundles ($49 single course, $94 three-course bundle, $129 All Access Pass). The company also provides a complementary Research Library of academic publications and practitioner tools, along with a digital Journal for ongoing insights. The offering functions as a platform-plus-content model where the LMS infrastructure supports course delivery alongside knowledge resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EQI Learning: Online learning platform offering courses on gender equality, preventing sexual harassment, and feminist leadership for workplaces and individuals.

Products and services

• EQI Learning for Workplaces Accessible and scalable DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training programs designed for organizational teams, enabling workplace upskilling and systemic change through research-informed curriculum. Targets corporate HR, L&D, and DEI leaders.
• EQI Learning for Individuals Self-paced online courses for personal and professional development in gender equality and violence prevention topics, sold as single courses, three-course bundles, or All Access Pass with 12-month access. Targets individual learners and professionals.
• Gender Equality Foundations Foundational online course covering core concepts of gender equality, designed as a starting point for learners new to the subject. Available individually or as part of bundle/all-access pass.
• Preventing Sexual Harassment Online course focused on understanding and preventing sexual harassment, part of the EQI Learning catalogue for workplaces and individuals. Designed to address workplace harassment through evidence-based prevention strategies.
• Reclaim: Feminist Leadership Leadership development course designed to help individuals lead with purpose, embrace their power, challenge inequality, and create impact through feminist principles.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached 56,400 people in Kiribati through SPV programme across 18 villages
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 August 2023Co-developed the world's first Global Shared Research Agenda (GSRA) on violence against women and girls, a landmark initiative to shape global VAWG research direction over five years.
• WEAVE Collective (Global Women's Institute, University of Cape Town, Gender at Work, Her Story Mparntwe, Galiwin'ku Women's Space, Strong Women Talking)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Multi-institutional feminist collective formed in 2021 to document the power of women's movements in ending violence against women and girls. Rooted in feminist and Indigenist research methods.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor strategic partner across multiple projects including Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls, MPPP framework development, and global research agenda initiatives. EQI co-develops tools and provides technical expertise to UN Women regional offices.
• House of SarahcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuva-based Anglican ministry partnership to prevent VAWG through faith settings. Over a decade of collaboration documenting promising practices for faith-based violence prevention in Fiji and Pacific.
• Ministry of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs (Kiribati)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for Strengthening Peaceful Villages (SPV) programme, adapted from SASA! approach. EQI conducts baseline studies and evaluations.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner on Papua New Guinea GBV research with Department for Community Development and Religion. EQI provides technical expertise for comprehensive GBV analysis.
• Raising VoicessupportingTechnology or IntegrationDeveloper of SASA! approach that EQI adapted for Pacific context (Strengthening Peaceful Villages programme in Kiribati).
• Women and Fund FijisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in 'We Are All Created Equal' initiative to prevent VAWG in Fiji's faith settings.
• Peruvian Ministry for Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for VAWG prevention in Peru. Co-designed animated video and educational resources for youth audiences.
• eSafetysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommissioned EQI (via ANU) to conduct research on technology-facilitated abuse among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Raising Voices: Uganda-based organization that developed the SASA! methodology — the approach EQI adapted for the Pacific Strengthening Peaceful Villages programme. Operates in the same VAWG primary prevention space with a comparable theory-of-change approach and similar international technical assistance model.
• White Ribbon Australia: Australia-focused organization working to prevent men's violence against women through workplace accreditation, school programs, and community campaigns. Directly comparable on workplace sexual harassment prevention training, Australian geographic focus, and engagement with corporate/government partners.
• Our Watch: Australian national leader in the prevention of violence against women, working with governments, workplaces, and communities across Australia. Directly comparable to EQI on VAWG primary prevention mission, workplace culture change programs, and policy advisory role, with overlapping Australian government funders.
• International Center for Research on Women (ICRW): Global research organization working at the intersection of gender, violence, and development with government and multilateral partners. Comparable to EQI on research-driven VAWG prevention, international development consulting, and gender-transformative methodologies across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
• Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI): Global research network coordinating evidence-building on violence against women. EQI's named strategic partner for the Global Shared Research Agenda (SVRI). Operates in the same VAWG research and evidence synthesis domain with overlapping academic and policy audiences.

Broad incumbents

• Lean In: Global nonprofit founded by Sheryl Sandberg providing gender equality content, circles, and corporate programming. Comparable to EQI on individual learner and workplace DEI training offerings, with broader mainstream consumer brand reach and a much larger content library.
• Go1: Australia-founded global enterprise learning platform aggregating thousands of content providers, including EQI as a partner. Comparable as the distribution layer for EQI's content but operates as a broad incumbent across all workplace learning categories, posing both a partnership opportunity and a competitive threat.
• Catalyst: Global nonprofit helping companies advance women in the workplace through research, consulting, and learning. Comparable to EQI on workplace gender equality advisory and learning products, but operates at a much larger scale across multiple corporate DEI dimensions beyond VAWG.
• UN Women: United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. Functions as both a major EQI partner and a broad incumbent shaping the global VAWG agenda, multilateral funding flows, and policy frameworks that EQI's work aligns with and supports.

Regional players

• Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing / Australian Women's Safety Alliance: Australian sector alliances coordinating primary prevention and response to gendered violence. Comparable to EQI on the Australian VAWG prevention policy and practice ecosystem but operate as membership/coalition bodies rather than research and training providers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user103782143
• Facebookfacebook.com/EqualityInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/18062844
• Instagraminstagram.com/theequalityinstitute
• Xx.com/theEQI

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Equality Institute