Reconciliation Action Plan

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge and pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of the lands, waters and territories on which South32 is located and where we conduct our business around the world.

We respect and acknowledge the unique cultural and spiritual relationships that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have to the lands, waters and territories, and that these relationships underpin their physical, spiritual, cultural and economic wellbeing.

We respect the collective rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including the right to self-determination, and the right to enjoy and maintain their traditional knowledge, distinctive spiritual practices and traditional ways of life.

We understand many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced historical, and often continuing, disadvantage due to factors such as inequality, racism, mistreatment and intergenerational trauma through dispossession.

We respect and utilise regional terms and, where possible, recognise and use the specific names as identified by a group, supporting self-identification.

INNOVATE RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN

JUNE 2024 - JUNE 2026

Click the link below to download our second Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan.

Download now (.pdf)

OUR VISION FOR RECONCILIATION

At South32, our purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources, improving people's lives now and for generations to come, and we are trusted by our company owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources. Through our Reconciliation Action Plan, we align our reconciliation vision to our purpose, and in partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, we aim to preserve cultural heritage and advance opportunities for economic participation and social inclusion.

We are committed to working in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve our vision for reconciliation by:

Establishing ourselves as an employer of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by supporting a culturally inclusive work environment and growing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce to 2 per cent by 2025 (from 1.5 per cent in 2023), reaching the same proportion as the national population by 2030;
Increasing the procurement of goods and services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to 2.4 per cent of influenceable¹ spend by 2025 (from 2.1 per cent in 2023);
Providing opportunities for our employees to become more culturally aware and learn the skills and knowledge to respectfully engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their day-to-day work;
Elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and building and maintaining strong relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the communities where we operate and within our workforce; and
Supporting cultural heritage projects identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples where we operate that aim to strengthen culture through Cultural Heritage Management and capacity building.

¹Influenceable spend is external categories of spend where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses participate in the local open market.

OUR AUSTRALIAN OPERATIONS

We seek to contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' cultural wellbeing and to deliver long-term opportunities, through employment, procurement, social investment and training.

This commitment, and the long-term nature of our operations, enables us to develop and foster lasting relationships. In partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across our Australian operations and office locations, we can share the benefits from realising the potential of mineral resources in a meaningful way.

Key statistics from FY23

5,038 people

employed across our Australian locations

A$30 million

procured from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses

24 organisations

partnered with to deliver on our RAP commitments

76 employees

identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

767 employees

completed a structured cultural learning program

235 hours

of pro bono services provided to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, organisations, or communities

OUR INNOVATE RAP

Our Innovate RAP was informed by Our Approach to Indigenous, Traditional and Tribal peoples engagement, an external and internal review of progress on our first Innovate RAP, and engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and stakeholders.

We have RAP Working Groups at each Australian operation and the Perth corporate office. These Working Groups meet quarterly to monitor and implement RAP actions at a local level.

A RAP Steering Committee comprising of senior leaders within South32 and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representative provides direction, support and endorsement of the RAP actions being delivered at each Australian operation and Perth corporate office.

Learn more on pages 8 and 9 of our Innovate RAP

OUR RAP COMMITMENTS

At South32 we have a global approach to Indigenous, Traditional and Tribal peoples engagement. Our RAP commitments are aligned with this approach.

Indigenous, Traditional and Tribal peoples are critical partners and stakeholders of South32. We seek to work collaboratively with Indigenous, Traditional and Tribal peoples to preserve cultural heritage and advance opportunities for economic participation and social inclusion. Throughout the mining lifecycle, we engage with and learn from Indigenous, Traditional and Tribal peoples so we can understand their aspirations, interests and perspectives.

RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships form the foundation of our values of trust and togetherness which focus on ‘valuing difference, listening and sharing'. We engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples using culturally appropriate methods throughout the mining lifecycle, to foster relationships based on transparency and trust.

Our commitments to relationships

We are committed to building strong relationships that enable us to work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples using culturally appropriate methods throughout the mining lifecycle, to foster relationships based on transparency and trust.

We seek to contribute to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples cultural wellbeing and to deliver long-term opportunities, through employment, procurement, social investment and training.

This commitment, and the long-term nature of our operations, enables us to develop and foster lasting relationships.

In our Innovate RAP we outline the key actions and deliverables associated with our RAP target:

Elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and building and maintaining strong relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the communities where we operate and within our workforce.

See our relationships actions and deliverables on pages 13 and 14 of our Innovate RAP

RESPECT

Operating in alignment with our value of care means that ‘we care about people, the communities we are part of and the world we depend on’. This value informs our approach to respecting and preserving culture and heritage.

Our commitments to respect

Many of our operations and projects intersect areas of cultural significance and we understand the critical role we play in preserving cultural heritage. We believe it is important for cultural heritage and mining to co-exist and we are committed to working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to achieve the best possible outcomes wherever our activities have the potential to impact cultural heritage.

In our Innovate RAP we outline the key actions and deliverables associated with our RAP targets:

Ensuring our people are culturally aware and possess the skills and knowledge to respectfully engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their day-to-day work; and

Supporting cultural heritage projects identified by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples where we operate, that aim to strengthen culture through Cultural Heritage Management and capacity building.

See our respect actions and deliverables on page 15 of our Innovate RAP

OPPORTUNITIES

Operating in alignment with our value of excellence means that we are ‘courageous' and challenge ourselves every day to be the best in what matters.

Our commitments to opportunities

We recognise the role we can play in creating opportunities for reconciliation not just within our business but with our partners and industry colleagues. Providing mutually beneficial opportunities will help us create lasting change.

In our Innovate RAP we outline the key actions and deliverables associated with our RAP targets:

Establishing ourselves as an employer of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by supporting a culturally inclusive work environment and growing our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce to 2 per cent by 2025 (from 1.5 per cent in 2023) and reaching the same proportion as the national population by 2030; and

Increasing the procurement of goods and services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to 2.4 per cent of influenceable spend by 2025 (from 2.1 per cent in 2023).

See our opportunities actions and deliverables on page 16 and 17 of our Innovate RAP

GOVERNANCE

Operating in alignment with our value of trust, means ‘we deliver on our commitments and rely on each other to do the right thing.’ This value underpins our approach to reporting and governance.

In our Innovate RAP we outline the key actions and deliverables associated with our commitment to governance.

See our governance actions and deliverables on page 18 of our Innovate RAP