Hastings Deering release RAP Ahead of National Reconciliation Week
Hastings Deering release RAP Ahead of National Reconciliation Week
As National Reconciliation Week 2020 (NRW) approaches, Hastings Deering is celebrating the stamp of approval from Reconciliation Australia.
“We have just had our first ever Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) officially endorsed by Reconciliation Australia”, states Chris Symons, Senior Marketing Advisor and Culture Group Lead at Hastings Deering.
“This has been a 12-month project for the Culture Team and RAP working group, we’re thrilled to be able to release Hastings Deering’s first RAP during NRW this year with the official endorsement of Reconciliation Australia.”
The RAP outlines Hastings Deering’s initial strategy to demonstrate ways the organization and staff will publicly commit to the national goal of reconciliation.
Read the Hastings Deering RAP Here
“It provides Hastings Deering the perfect opportunity to reinforce our commitment to reconciliation and reflects our shared values,” said Mr. Symons.
Karen Mundine Chief Executive Officer Reconciliation Australia said that RAPS provide organizations with a blueprint to contribute toward the five dimensions of reconciliation: race relations; equality and equity, institutional integrity; unity; and historical acceptance.
“It is critical to not only uphold all five dimensions of reconciliation, but to increase awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and leadership within and across all sectors of Australian society.”
“By committing to this Reflect RAP, Hastings Deering will establish structures to guide reconciliation initiatives and commence a lifelong cultural learning journey among all employees."
“Getting these first steps right will ensure the sustainability of future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives and provide meaningful impact toward Australia’s reconciliation journey.”
National Reconciliation Week is celebrated from 27th May – 3rd June and remains the same each year. These dates commemorate two milestones in the reconciliation journey: the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision.
NRW is a time to learn about the shared histories, cultures, and achievements between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and to explore how to contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
“The 2020 theme for NRW is “in this together” which is now resonating in ways they could not have foreseen when it was announced last year, but is a great reminder whether in a crisis or in reconciliation we are all in this together,” said Mr. Symons.
In 2020 Reconciliation Australia marks twenty years of shaping Australia’s journey towards a more just, equitable and reconciled nation.
National Reconciliation Week
About National Reconciliation Week. At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half-century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken. Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort.