In the first year of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) journey, Perennial is proud to announce the successful completion of our Reflect RAP as of August 2023. Throughout this year, our team has established genuine foundations that we believe will support our ongoing and sustainable journey towards Reconciliation, as we continue to progress through the RAP framework. We seek to launch our Innovate RAP by the end of 2023.
Through implementing the Reflect RAP, we have spent time reflecting on our Reconciliation journey and maturity, developing relationships with a broad range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders – from First Nations suppliers to education organisations, and deciding Perennial’s vision for Reconciliation – in particular, how we can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through our sphere of influence.
Some of the highlights from our Reflect RAP journey include:
- Engaging with investment portfolio companies on Reconciliation and including analysis on corporate RAP development in the annual Perennial Better Future Corporate Survey.
- Senior leadership communication on the business case for increasing understanding, value and recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge, and rights.
- Distributing information and resources related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to enhance cultural awareness among staff.
- Providing staff with opportunities to attend NAIDOC week events, including hosting a documentary screening in the Perennial office.
- Exploring partnerships for hosting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander internships.
- Meeting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned procurement businesses.
Perennial is proud to have achieved our Reflect RAP deliverables within the 12-month time frame and is pleased to have started work towards our Innovate RAP, the next stage in the Reconciliation journey. The goal of the Innovate RAP is for organisations to deepen their understanding of their sphere of influence and determine the best approach to advance reconciliation over a 24-month period. Throughout the Innovate RAP process, we will seek to build on the foundations we established during our Reflect RAP, strengthening our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, continuing to engage with staff on Reconciliation and exploring and implementing innovative strategies to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The implementation of the Innovate RAP will be overseen by the RAP working group, which consists of representatives across the Perennial Group and is a sub-set of the Perennial Sustainability Working Group.
We look forward to continuing our Reconciliation journey and sharing our progress.
