Our Commitment to Indigenous Engagement & Acknowledging Culture
In 2023, Fenner Conveyors, as part of One Michelin Group Australia, has launched its ‘Reflect’ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to support national movement towards reconciliation focusing on the communities in which we operate.
Our Reflect RAP is a strategic document that outlines the Group’s vision, commitments, and actions to contribute to reconciliation in Australia. It aligns with the five dimensions of reconciliation: race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity, unity and historical acceptance.
The RAP was developed by a Working Group of employees from different business units and geographic locations, with guidance from Reconciliation Australia and Group stakeholders. It was officially endorsed by Reconciliation Australia in September 2023.
Building Relationships
Listening & Connecting
Throughout the Reflect phase, we learned that
building relationships starts with listening. Engaging with stakeholders, especially in regional communities, has been instrumental in forging strong personal connections. Despite some challenges in establishing local relationships in major cities, we made notable progress with our regional presence. By collaborating on key customer projects and attending indigenous engagement events, we’ve further embedded ourselves in the communities we serve through relationship building with First Nations stakeholders.
Respect
A Shared Commitment to Land & Culture
Respect for Indigenous cultures and lands has been
central to our learnings during our Reflect RAP. We’ve observed that many of our customers share our commitment to respecting the lands on which we operate, with many implementing significant land management practices. We built our understanding around policy requirements and reviewed existing policy to identify areas we can improve as a welcome place of work. We initiated cultural awareness initiatives, including training workshops and eLearns with providers. Our offices now proudly display RAP artwork and we are growing team member confidence in how to respectfully acknowledge Country. To support this, we introduced Traditional Place names in our email signatures.
Creating Opportunities
Local Connections & Early Engagement
While scoping procurement opportunities across global supply commitments will be a challenge, we made strong strides in building local supplier relationships. In regards to employment opportunities, we learned that early engagement, particularly at the school level, is key to fostering long-term opportunities for Indigenous talent.
Strengthening Governance
Strategic Findings for Future Goals
The completion of our Reflect RAP phase has provided us with invaluable insights. We’ve strengthened relationships within the RAP Working Group (WG) across One Michelin Group entities. We’re thrilled to have established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representation within our RAP WG, ensuring that Indigenous voices are at the heart of our ongoing reconciliation journey.
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