Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Australia, a business area of Sandvik, has detailed its second innovate reconciliation action plan (RAP) at a ceremony held at its Heatherbrae site near Newcastle, New South Wales.
Sandvik’s Australian arm released its first RAP in 2018 and released its first innovate RAP in 2020. The latest innovate RAP lists a range of concrete initiatives to help further strengthen ties to First Nations peoples, including new mentoring and networking programs.
Sandvik took major achievements and learnings from its previous reconciliation work to create its second RAP, such as:
- increasing First Nations employment levels
- signing a major supplier agreement with a First Nations business
- changing employment procedures to better suit First Nations candidates
- introducing OnCountry learning programs for staff
- having stock procurement-agreements in place to make it easier for Indigenous businesses to begin supplying for Sandvik.
The RAP outlines an extensive plan to contribute to reconciliation across the areas of relationships, respect, opportunities and governance through to 2025, as well as participate in initiatives such as upscaling engagement with First Nations communities, developing and maintaining a First Nations procurement policy, and launching a First Nations mentoring program and First Nations staff network.
Managing director for Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Australia Wayne Scrivens said helping to create a fairer, more equitable Australia through reconciliation is a journey that the company is extremely proud to go on.
“While we have achieved a great deal since we first began work in this area back in 2016, there is still more to be done. And this action plan aims to take us still further along that road,” Scrivens said.
Community engagement and First Nations advisor for Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Sales Area Australia and New Zealand Melita Hegarty said the new RAP has a strong focus on creating authentic and meaningful action to advance reconciliation.
“We are building on our existing engagement, employment, procurement and cultural learning strategies as they evolve,” Hegarty said.
“By doing this, we’re able to ensure that they both continue to create a positive impact in communities and that they are effective for our organisation.”