Perennial launches first Reconciliation Action Plan
In the spirit of reconciliation, Perennial acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Country in which we work, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.
We also accept the invitation in the Uluru Statement from the Heart to walk together in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.
Perennial is proud to have launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan in August 2022 – our Reflect RAP – the first stage of Reconciliation Australia’s RAP framework – and see this as a demonstration of our commitment and respect for the Traditional Owners of Australia.
At Perennial, we believe that reconciliation is a crucial step for Australian businesses towards building strong and authentic connections with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This Reflect RAP will serve as a solid foundation to ensure our contributions to the reconciliation movement are meaningful and sustainable. Karen Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia, notes that “This Reflect RAP enables Perennial to deepen its understanding of its sphere of influence and the unique contribution it can make to lead progress across the five dimensions (race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity, unity and historical acceptance).”
The RAP Working Group, chaired by Emilie O’Neill, Co-Head of ESG, is looking forward to achieving tangible progress against our deliverables. It is pleasing to see progress made by the RAP Working Group so far, for example, Perennial is currently engaging with an Indigenous education organisation to develop First Nations internship opportunities at Perennial.
As an investment manager, Perennial is also committed to addressing Indigenous Heritage issues in our investments and engagements with companies. In the past few years, the investment team had engagement in cultural heritage issues and indigenous rights protections with relevant companies in our investment universe, particularly in the mining and energy sectors. We believe Indigenous relations are extremely important for these sectors to ensure the empowerment of traditional owners and to maintain their social license to operate.
Looking ahead, the Perennial team looks forward to engaging with companies on Reconciliation Action Plans, as well as what actions they are taking to support Indigenous employment, inclusion and procurement. We look forward to sharing our reconciliation journey with the broader community to grow awareness and support of the national reconciliation movement.
