Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan

September 2017 - September 2019

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01 message from our ceo

02 our organisation

03 our vision for reconciliation

04 our innovate rap

06 brighter future

05 focus areas:01 relationships02 respect03 opportunities04 reporting

HESTA acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of all Lands on which we come together. At HESTA we know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures enrich this nation and we pay our respects to Elders, past and present.

HESTA acknowledges the important contribution that First Australians make in creating a strong and vibrant Australian society.

We recognise our pathway ahead must be based on close, respectful and collaborative working arrangements with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations, peak bodies and communities. We understand the benefits of learning more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, values and beliefs as well as ensuring our employees have the confidence to deliver culturally responsive services.

Rachael SydirWinner - Outstanding Graduate 2016 HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards

Rachael Sydir was awarded for strengthening children’s understanding of Aboriginal culture and practices and creating a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

hello and welcome

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01 message from our ceo

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HESTA is pleased to be building on the work of our inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), and we are proud of our journey so far. We are committed to further strengthening our relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations. HESTA’s Innovate RAP builds on the learnings of our Reflect RAP and signifies our further commitment to integrating our efforts into our strategic plan.

At HESTA we live our values:

Ownership

We empower ourselves and each other to take ownership, get things done, collaborate and make a real

difference.

Passion

We are passionate about putting our members first and understand that what we do today has a real impact on our members tomorrow.

Leadership

We demonstrate leadership in everything we do, by being

progressive, innovative and open minded in our thinking.

Respect

We embrace diversity and are always respectful in our interactions.

Partnerships

We serve the health and community services sector with integrity and develop strong partnerships that

benefit our members.

With these core ideals in mind, we are pleased to have established our second RAP to demonstrate our strong commitment to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations.

This RAP is our next step in a long journey as we seek to:

• build respect for the First Australians through understanding and shared learnings

• increase confidence and choice in retirement for all members including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

• achieve equity in the treatment of non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal peoples.

HESTA has a unique role to play as a national organisation, a leader in the provision of superannuation and as a fund dedicated to the health and community services sector. We strive for excellence in all of our endeavors including our ability to increase equity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians.

We make these public commitments to demonstrate our desire to achieve lasting change internally, in our sphere of influence in the superannuation industry and in the wider health and community services sector.

We will continue to build on these commitments and improve our actions and outcomes.

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HESTA is Australia’s largest superannuation fund dedicated to the health and community services sector. We have more than $40b of members’ funds under management and more than 820,000 members. We employ approximately 150 employees.*

HESTA was founded in 1987 and we are proud to be an industry fund: run only to benefit members, not to profit from them.

We have eight offices with member teams in every state and territory and dedicated member and employer-servicing employees who travel across Australia regularly. This offers our members a consistent service regardless of their location.

None of our current workforce identifies as having an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander cultural background. However, through our RAP’s implementation we will encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to become HESTA employees.

02 we’re here for good

*As at 1 August 2017

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03 our vision

Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

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Our vision is for a respectful, confident and equitable Australia. Through our commitment to reconciliation, HESTA can be part of supporting real and lasting change in our organisation, the superannuation industry and the health and community services sector.

Our RAP recognises the role that HESTA, the superannuation industry and our members can play in our national reconciliation journey. This role requires us to better support, engage and partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It also requires the ongoing education and engagement of the superannuation sector.

We are committed to building community partnerships grounded in respect.

We will work towards increasing confidence for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We will advocate for equity outcomes between non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people.

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04 innovate rap HESTA has developed our Innovate RAP as the next phase of our contribution towards reconciliation. The RAP has been developed through internal and external consultation overseen by our RAP working group.

This group consists of HESTA employees, HESTA members and representatives from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. Two members of our RAP working group are executives of the fund and support for our reconciliation journey cascades from our Board throughout the organisation.

We have built on the achievements of

our inaugural RAP which include:

Supporting opportunities to better understand and respect

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their histories

and their connection to lands and places in Australia.

Our Innovate RAP takes the learnings from our inaugural RAP and turns them into innovative ideas that we can develop over the next two years to make a meaningful contribution to reconciliation in Australia.

In developing an Innovate RAP, HESTA commits to completing the actions within it over September 2017 - September 2019. This will ensure we are well positioned to implement effective and mutually beneficial initiatives as part of future RAPs.

This Innovate RAP will allow HESTA to focus on building relationships both internally and externally, and to promote shared understanding and ownership of our RAP within our organisation.

Developing and strengthening our relationships with Aboriginal

and Torres Strait Islander peoples, community leaders and community

organisations and culture, values, beliefs, practices and

local protocols.

Strengthening our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander communities.

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Our RAP working group members are listed below, and includes two members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community:

Since launching our Reflect RAP in July 2015 we have been on a journey of learning, listening and understanding HESTA’s place in reconciliation. Our employees have embraced the spirit of reconciliation and learnt more about the story of their local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our key learnings are:

• we all can make a difference through learning the story of our First Australians and applying our skills to tackling the disadvantages that persist in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

• there are many opportunities to partner with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to support shared outcomes that benefit our members and the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

• there is a persistent equity gap in retirement outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples versus non-Indigenous Australians in retirement

• many of our members are dedicated to closing gaps for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, in employment and health.

One key challenge we encountered was:

• developing a culturally appropriate program to identify and support HESTA’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.

Currently, none of our employees identifies as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander which has made meeting this commitment a challenge. Our Innovate RAP has a number of commitments to address this challenge and we will work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to develop employment strategies to increase the number of employees who identify as a First Australian.

Sophie Sigalas Executive – People StrategyNeil Saxton Executive – Engagement StrategyMary Delahunty General Manager – Business Development & PolicyAmber Kelly Content ProducerBen Gorrie Director CATSINaMKaren Milward Aboriginal ConsultantWill Macaulay Investment Manager – Unlisted Assets

Representatives from national and state-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and leaders will be invited to participate in the implementation of our Innovate RAP.

our working group

our journey

This RAP outlines actions, responsibilities, timelines and targets across four key areas: relationships; respect; opportunities and tracking progress. These actions will then be embedded across HESTA’s planning and reporting structure, ensuring all aspects of the RAP are sustainable and accountable. This includes reporting our progress to management and Board. The RAP will also be lodged with Reconciliation Australia, and will therefore be subject to reporting as required. It also provides a framework for how we will continue to progress actions within our three spheres of influence: our organisation, the superannuation sector and the health and community services sector. HESTA has also convened an Employee RAP Network, to champion the cause of our RAP and embed its actions across the organisation.

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05 focus areas

01 relationships

focus areas: 01 relationships

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We believe strong relationships with peak bodies in the Indigenous health sector, in the financial sector and within our local areas are crucial to delivering the outcomes Australia needs on our path to reconciliation. Through our Reflect RAP we have strengthened relationships internally and externally. Our actions in the coming years seek to further this work and to extend it to the broader superannuation sector.

We will broaden and deepen these relationships and, by implementing and monitoring an engagement plan, understand how we can support the goals of reconciliation by doing our part in building strong communities.

Our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations within health and community services has expanded during the term of our Reflect RAP. It has included a range of events that HESTA has supported and Indigenous organisations we have engaged with as part of our RAP commitments 2015-17.

Our engagement

In July 2016 representatives from Catholic Health Australia, HESTA and James Cook University joined Apunipima Cape York Health Council in far North Queensland on a visit to the remote communities of Napranum and Aurukun. A health workshop followed, which identified approaches by which the Catholic health and aged care sector can help close the health gap for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Cape York.

Sarah BrownWinner - Nurse of the Year 2017 HESTA Australian Nursing & Midwifery Awards

For establishing the Alice Springs-based Western Desert Dialysis to provide social support services, allied health and ‘on-country’ dialysis services for Aboriginal people experiencing kidney disease that live in remote communities in central Australia.

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Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

1. RAP Working Group (RWG) actively monitors RAP development and implementation of actions, tracking progress and reporting on our achievements

• RWG oversees the development of actions tracking register and establishes terms of reference for the group

June 2018

Executive – Engagement

Strategy

• RWG oversees the development of the Innovate RAP

October 2017

• Ensure Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are represented on the RWG

September 2017, 2018, 2019

• RWG meets at least twice per year to monitor and report on RAP implementation

June, December 2018, 2019

2. Celebrate and participate in National Reconciliation Week (NRW) by providing opportunities to build and maintain relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians

• Publish stories and social media content profiling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations or individuals during National Reconciliation Week

• Organise at least one internal event for NRW each year

• Support an external NRW event

• Ensure our RAP Working Group participates in an external event to recognise and celebrate NRW

May & June 2018, 2019

Executive – People Strategy

• Invite a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to share their story of reconciliation

May & June 2018, 2019

• Register all NRW events via Reconciliation Australia’s NRW website

May & June 2018, 2019

• Encourage all HESTA employees to support an external NRW event in their State/Territory

May & June 2018, 2019

HESTA has been involved in a number of events in the Northern Territory including the Indigenous Business Networking and Development event in Darwin and The Aboriginal Health Council - 2016 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Sector Annual Conference. HESTA employees also attended Closing the Gap Awareness Day at Raintree Park and participated in the 50 year anniversary of the Wave Hill walk off. HESTA also supported the Alice Springs Community Super Day.

We felt privileged to have the opportunity to hold an education session at the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM) Member Conference in September 2015 in Darwin. This event also allowed us to develop stronger partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations.

We have been active in Western Australia supporting the Secretariat of National Aboriginal & Islander Child Care (SNAICC) National Conference, Rural Health West Aboriginal Conference, Aboriginal Health Council of WA (AHCWA) State Conference and we sponsored the Western Australian Council of Social Services (WACOSS) Community Services Excellence Awards category of Commitment to Reconciliation.

focus areas: 01 relationships

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Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

3. Meet with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations to develop guiding principles for future engagement

• Develop and implement engagement plan to work with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders through meetings with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Health and Community Services organisations

December 2018 General Manager – Business

Development and Policy • Meet with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander organisations to develop guiding principles for future engagement

July 2019

4. Raise internal and external awareness of our RAP to promote reconciliation across our business and sector through ongoing active engagement with all stakeholders

• Implement a strategy to communicate our Innovate RAP to external stakeholders

December 2018

General Manager – Campaigns

and Customer Growth

• Implement a strategy through the HESTA RAP champions to promote understanding of the RAP internally

July 2018

• Review communication strategies and adjust where necessary

December 2018

• Publish RAP on HESTA external website and internal intranet

January 2018

5. Raise awareness of the importance of Australian corporations developing a RAP within the superannuation industry

• Work in partnership with other superannuation funds to aid the development of more Reconciliation Action Plans, in partnership with Reconciliation Australia

September 2019

Executive – Engagement

Strategy • Work with other organisations relevant to the superannuation industry to aid the development of more Reconciliation Action Plans, in partnership with Reconciliation Australia

September 2019

Within the Australian Capital Territory we have supported the 2016 Forum Scholarship at the National Indigenous Allied Health Conference and presented the Indigenous Allied Health Student Academic Achievement Award at the Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA) national conference.

We work in partnership with First Nations Foundation, organisers of the Big Super Day Out in NSW and Victoria. This allowed HESTA to be one of the 2016 event’s sponsors as well as provide education sessions and one-on-one general advice to attendees.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers Association (NATSIHWA), also a HESTA partner, runs a host of events we have supported in South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Worker Forum (Victoria).

focus areas: 01 relationships

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Respect is a core value of HESTA. We embrace diversity and are always respectful in our interactions. Our commitment is to build community partnerships grounded in respect and support opportunities to better understand and respect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their histories and their connection to lands and places in Australia.

Through our Reflect RAP we increased our level of cultural awareness to build respect. Our Innovate RAP seeks to extend this and also to examine any barriers for cultural identity and employment.

Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

1. Engage employees in continuous cultural learning opportunities to increase understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories and achievements

• Develop and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural awareness training strategy for our employees which defines cultural learning needs of employees in all areas of our business and considers various ways cultural learning can be provided (online, face to face workshops or cultural immersion)

December 2018

Executive – People Strategy

• Investigate opportunities to work with local Traditional Owners and/or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consultants to develop a cultural learning program

January 2019

• Provide opportunities for RWG members, RAP Champions, HR Managers and other key leadership to participate in ongoing cultural training

June 2019

• Measure the impact of cultural learning program to identify any changes

September 2019

2. Engage employees in understanding the significance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols such as Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country to ensure there is a shared meaning

• Develop a cultural protocol document to include a Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country for all important HESTA internal and external events

• Encourage employees to include an Acknowledgement of Country at the commencement of presentations

December 2018

General Manager – Business

Development and Policy

• Develop a list of key contacts for organising a Welcome to Country

June 2019

• Invite a Traditional Owner to provide a Welcome to Country at HESTA awards events

June 2019

• Display an Acknowledgment of Country plaque in all our offices

June 2018

02 respect

focus areas: 02 respect

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Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

3. Provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to engage with their cultures and communities by celebrating NAIDOC Week

• Review HR policies and procedures to ensure there are no barriers to employees participating in NAIDOC Week

July 2018

Executive – People Strategy

• Provide opportunities for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to participate in/with their cultures and communities during NAIDOC Week

July 2019

• Provide opportunities for all employees to participate in NAIDOC Week activities

July 2018, 2019

• Hold an internal or external NAIDOC Week event in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

July 2019

• Support an external NAIDOC Week community event

July 2018, 2019

• Contact our local NAIDOC Week Committee to discover events in our community

July 2018, 2019

4. Celebrate/recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dates of significance

• Produce a calendar of events and communicate this across HESTA to ensure each date is recognised appropriately

• Include dates of significance in organisational planning, communications and scheduling

December 2018

General Manager – Campaigns

and Customer Growth

focus areas: 02 respect

Toni Trevor, a winner of the 2016 IAHA National Indigenous Allied Health Awards (sponsored by HESTA). Toni is an advocate for Indigenous Health. She is a Social Work student at James Cook University, plus works for the Townsville Emergency Department as an Indigenous Hospital Liaison Officer. Toni is also on the Cleveland Youth Detention Centre’s Advisory Board Committee and volunteers with the Indigenous youth at the centre.

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At HESTA we are committed to being a gutsy advocate for change. We are leaders in the provision of superannuation and we seek to influence our sector and the broader Australian business sector through our actions.

We will endeavor to create career and supplier opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within HESTA, the superannuation industry and the broader sector.

We will pursue mutual learning to contribute to the professional development for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with the health and community services sector by working to capture the history and future of the Indigenous nursing journey.

03 opportunities Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

1. Investigate opportunities to improve and increase Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment outcomes within our organisation

• Engage with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to consult on employment strategies, including professional development

• Develop and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employment and Retention strategy

September 2019

Executive – People Strategy

• Collect information on our current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees to inform future employment opportunities

December 2018

• Review HR and recruitment procedures and policies to ensure there are no barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and future applicants participating in our workplace

December 2018

• Establish an advisory panel of specialist recruitment professionals from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure excellence on inclusive policies

September 2019

• Consider including in job advertisements, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply’

June 2018

focus areas: 03 opportunities

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Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

2. Investigate opportunities to incorporate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander supplier diversity within our organisation

• Review procurement policies and procedures to identify barriers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to supply our organisation with goods and services

June 2019

Executive – Engagement

Strategy

• Develop one commercial relationship with an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander owned business

December 2018

• Develop and implement a strategy to explore opportunities to invest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses as part of our broader social impact investing mandate

June 2019

• Develop and communicate to staff a list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses that can be used to procure goods and services

June 2019

• Develop a relationship with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Chambers of commerce and industry

June 2019

• Develop a relationship with Supply Nation and investigate membership

June 2019

3. Support new and existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples working in the HACs sector

• Develop and implement a plan to increase the awareness of the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australian health care system in one sector – such as nursing

December 2018

General Manager – Business

Development and Policy

• Develop and implement a plan for the recording of the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australian health care system in one sector – such as nursing

June 2019

• Consider opportunities to support the professional development of emerging leaders in the future of one HACS profession such as nursing

September 2019

We recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have played a critical role in the health care industry but this role has not been captured and celebrated. We believe that by exploring opportunities to capture the history of this contribution we can also play a key role in building a pathway for future contributions.

Australia has unique challenges in delivering healthcare. Increasingly we are better able to understand the role of cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in improving health outcomes. Through our Innovate RAP, we will explore the role we can play to aid the growth of this concept.

focus areas: 03 opportunities

Balnarring Pre-school won the Advancing Pedagogy and Practice Award at the HESTA Early Childhood Education & Care Awards in 2016. The pre-school was recognised for developing the Bundjil Nest Project to educate children about the First Peoples’ culture. Balnarring Pre-school Educational Leader Karen Anderson accepted the award and said the project has resulted in children and their families having a better understanding of the First Peoples’ culture and greater sense of inclusion among those in the wider community.

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Action Deliverable Timeline Responsibility

1. Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings to Reconciliation Australia for inclusion in the RAP Impact Measurement Report

• Complete and submit the RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to Reconciliation Australia annually

30 September 2017, 2018, 2019 Executive –

Engagement Strategy

• Investigate participating in the RAP Barometer May 2018

2. Report RAP achievements, challenges and learnings internally and externally

• Publically report to our members and stakeholders via the HESTA website and HESTA Annual report our RAP achievements, challenges and learnings

30 September 2018, 2019

General Manager – Campaigns

and Customer Growth

3. Review, refresh and update RAP

• Work with Reconciliation Australia to develop new RAP based on learnings, challenges, achievements and future opportunities

November 2018

Executive – Engagement

Strategy • Send draft RAP to Reconciliation Australia for formal feedback and endorsement

June 2019

04 tracking progress and reporting

focus areas: 04 tracking progress and reporting

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“As a guest of GARMA I found the experience truly indescribable. I learnt so much about a culture I now know I knew so little about.

“To experience the Women’s ceremony was an event I will remember for all my days. With HESTA embarking on an Innovate RAP I believe this truly will make HESTA a more dynamic, innovative and diverse workplace.”

HESTA Client Relationship Manager

“It’s important to be a part of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to continue to link businesses from our industry to these communities. There are many bridging the gap initiatives, but it is important to understand what that ‘gap’ looks like first.”

HESTA Business Development Manager

“The NP team supported Indigenous National Conferences including Indigenous Allied Health Australia (IAHA), the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers Association (NATSIHWA) and the Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM).

“The breadth of these engagements allowed for the broader Engagement Strategy Unit to participate in the Reflect RAP and simultaneously demonstrate our desire to listen and learn.”

General Manager – National Partnerships

Get in touchname Neil Saxton

phone 03 8660 1600

email nsaxton@hesta.com.au

job title Executive - Engagement Strategy

06 brighter future Examples of the impact our Reconciliation Action Plan has had on HESTA employees.

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Issued by H.E.S.T. Australia Ltd ABN 66 006 818 695 AFSL 235249, the Trustee of Health Employees Superannuation Trust Australia (HESTA) ABN 64 971 749 321.

© Copyright H.E.S.T. Australia Limited 2015