Providing life opportunties for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Reconciliation Action Plan. your smile, your future

Transcription

1 Providing life opportunties for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Reconciliation Action Plan your smile, your future 1

2 Message from Simon McGrath Vice President Accor Australia Contents Message from Simon McGrath 1 Our vision for reconciliation 3 Our business 5 Accor values 7 Our journey from the beginning 9 Relationships 10 Respect 12 Opportunities 16 Tracking & reporting 19 Stories from our people 20 Having experienced the truly spiritual Uluru site whilst living at Yulara, I observed firsthand the many challenges faced by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. It left an indelible mark on my mind and highlighted the opportunities for our nation. It has also created an awareness of the strong sense of belonging and connectedness to culture that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have. At Accor we have long embraced the need to provide life opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In 2001 David Baffsky AO, our Honorary Chairman launched a national commitment to Indigenous employment and this was implemented over several years. Accor understands the evolving discerning needs of its guests, both from overseas and from Australia. A growing proportion of these guests increasingly seek an authentic, genuine, uniquely Australian visitor experience. What is more uniquely Australian then the world s oldest living continuous cultures and wisdom and success of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Both Qantas and Tourism Australia, through their RAPs, also acknowledge this and appropriately promote this as it is good for business and as a part of their social responsibility. In 2009 we launched our new employment strategy with the aim of creating more training opportunities and expanding our community and employment partnerships. The strength of Accor s work has been in providing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and helping them develop within the business. In saying this, we acknowledge and appreciate our current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees who have chosen to join Accor and our partners for their support, as without these people we could not have reached our objectives. Whilst we have successfully achieved our goal of raising awareness of the need for the employment and training of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the tourism industry, it is time now to focus on elements which we know can make a difference, good relationships and respect for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Accor now begins a new journey of commitment and in partnership with Reconciliation Australia we are pleased to set out our new vision for reconciliation. We will continue to provide employment and training opportunities across our many business units whilst fostering harmonious partnerships with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. It is our hope that the Accor Indigenous initiatives will play a role in inspiring young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to excel in the tourism field. Equally, customers and employees are increasingly choosing to transact with and be employed by organisations that are committed to social responsibility and local community development. 2 3

3 Our vision for reconciliation To embrace, respect and celebrate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history amongst our business, whilst fostering long term partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and leaders Our vision for reconciliation has three key areas: relationships, respect and opportunities. We hope to provide sustainable working opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as developing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities built on a foundation of respect. Since it established operations in Australia two decades ago, Accor has acted upon its vision and commitment through a series of practical policies, programs and partnerships. At Accor, our commitment is to inspire Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to join the tourism industry, aiming to provide long-term sustainable employment, career development and opportunities that support local Indigenous communities and families and thereby close the life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Accor believes the position and influence of the tourism sector gives it an unsurpassed opportunity to take a leadership role in developing and nurturing life and work opportunities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The size and geographic spread of the Accor operations in Australia particularly across remote and rural Australia- give it the opportunity and the responsibility to be at the forefront of industry efforts to lift the levels of well-being and life and work opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to equal those of Australians. We need to ensure that more long-term, sustainable employment opportunities are created for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to redress their underrepresentation across the tourism industry and all other industries, and provide the social and economic benefits this brings. It is a goal of Accor to significantly increase the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander proportion of our workforce, and we will continue to play a leading role in achieving this. 4 5

4 Our business As the world s leading hotel manager and market leader, Accor operates in 90 countries with 145,000 employees. The Group offers to its clients and partners nearly 45 years of know-how and expertise. In Asia Pacific, Accor is the market leader, with over 400 hotels and in excess of 80,000 rooms spread over 16 countries - Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, 130 hotels are scheduled to open over the next three years. Accor provides an extensive offer including about 15 complementary brands from luxury to economy that are recognised and appreciated around the world for their service quality. Sofitel, Pullman, MGallery, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure, Ibis, All Seasons, Etap hotel, hotelf1, Motel6, as well as Thalassa Sea & Spa and Lenôtre. Present in 90 countries, with 4,100 hotels and nearly 500,000 rooms, Accor s brands offer hotel stays tailored to the specific needs of each business and leisure customer. Accor Hotels has been established for over 20 years in the Australian market and has grown to over 150 hotels located throughout Australia. Accor currently employs in the region of 7000 employees which is adjusted seasonally. We presently have 155 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees. 6 7

5 Accor values Innovation is our trademark - We know how to look ahead, anticipate and act differently, in order to develop new solutions that drive progress. Spirit of conquest is our growth engine - We take risks and combine boldness, initiative, and team spirit in order to grow and expand. Respect is the basis of all our relationships - We recognise and value both women and men around the world in all their diversity, whether inside or outside the Group. Performance is the key to our continued success - We set high standards for ourselves every day, both as individuals and in our teams, so that we can give our best and maximise our performance. Trust is the foundation of our management - We build relationships and create a climate of trust amongst us all. For more than 40 years, Accor has constantly reinvented its businesses to keep pace with the world around it, with the goal of providing innovative, high-quality products to hotel customers. Backed by powerful, highly respected brands, its employees help create lasting interpersonal relationships and deploy their unique skills to develop and deliver solutions that create wellness. Every day, Accor is pleased to provide travelers with the accommodation and dining solution best suited to their needs and assure them of the highest quality service because our top priority is to put a smile on our customers faces every day. 8 9

6 Our journey from the beginning Our journey to reconciliation continues in 2011, where Accor is committed to developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The commitment of Accor to lift the wellbeing, work and life opportunities of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians has been there since the beginning of operations in Australia 20 years ago, but expanded significantly in 2001, with the launch of Accor Asia-Pacific s Indigenous Employment Program. The program aimed to develop and support significantly increased employment of Indigenous Australians in Accor operations. In 2009, Accor re-launched its Indigenous Employment Strategy in partnership with the Origin Communications Group who assisted with the development of a comprehensive three year Indigenous Employment and Engagement Strategy. To ensure the strategy was practical, sustainable and culturally appropriate, consultations were held with Accor management, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-indigenous staff, as well as external stakeholders with expertise in Indigenous employment and training services. The Strategy focused on: 1 Recruitment and attraction 2 Business support and sustainability 3 Public relations and community development 4 Career pathways 5 Engagement and retention Our Reconciliation Action Plan Our journey to reconciliation continues in 2011, where Accor is committed to developing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Our RAP complements our Indigenous Employment Strategy and includes actions and measures by which Accor can fulfill its commitments alongside other commitments based on Relationship, Respect and Opportunities. A RAP steering committee was established in September 2010 and feedback sought from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Employees. The group has met on a monthly basis and to assist in the development of our RAP, Lani Blanco Francis from LBF Consulting has been engaged to work with the RAP Group. Lani has extensive experience in this field and will play an active role in the achievement of our RAP objectives. Reconciliation Australia has supported us in developing our RAP, which is aimed at closing the unacceptable gaps that exist between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, non-indigenous Australians through mutually beneficial actions. We are proud to participate in activities that we know can make a difference and include our name amongst the organisations that have already made this commitment to reconciliation

7 Action Responsibility Timeline Target RELATIONSHIPS Develop National Committee supported by Executive, Indigenous employees and external Indigenous business partners primarily responsible for shaping and directing reconciliation activities April 2011 National Committee to be established Committee will meet four times per year and monitor RAP progress Establishment of key RAP Champions within Accor to promote and support rollout of RAP April 2011 Regional Champions identified and have communicated RAP to all Business units Champions will monitor RAP progress in partnership with local Management and report to National Committee Our objective is to establish, grow and develop mutually beneficial external relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities so that we have an improved understanding of, and are better able to meet the needs of our Indigenous Australian employees and customers. We will also continue to enhance our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and the opportunities to close the gaps. Partner with specialised providers to support the attraction and recruitment of Indigenous Australians to the Hospitality & Tourism Industry Foster relationships between Accor and local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to assist in the promotion of Accor as a potential employer Support Indigenous Australian employees with continuous learning through Accor Registered Training Organisation Existing Indigenous employees to have personal career discussion to consider training and skills improvement Internal communication of Accor s commitment to reconciliation publicized to all Accor employees June 2011 Key employment partnerships established in each Region Employment information packs on Accor provided to all key partners Monthly meetings to be completed with key partners evaluating employment relationship Regional General Managers RAP Champions Sept 2011 All business units to participate in at least one local initiative promoting employment opportunities with Accor to local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Academie Accor Sept 2011 All Indigenous employees to avail Academie offerings including the Accor On Line University Training completions monitored Hotel General Manager s Hotel General Manager s Public Relations Nov 2011 Aug 2011 Career pathways for Indigenous employees reviewed and outcomes agreed Internal Newsletter produced highlighting RAP progress Dedicated information boards established in each Hotel to publicise on-going activities 12 13

8 RESPECT Action Responsibility Timeline Target Respect is one of Accor s five values and forms the basis for all our relationships. We continue to build respect for Indigenous Australians through cultural education/awareness training and involvement in activities that build a shared pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders culture and reconciliation, therefore creating a welcoming workplace and hotel experience for our staff and customers Develop and implement a protocol document for Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country Accor to play active part in the Tourism Industry as a promoter of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and cultural heritage Cultural awareness training to be made readily available for Accor employees to participate All Accor Hotels May 2011 Guide designed to define protocols and appropriate use for Welcome to Country and Acknowledgment of Country. To be circulated for use at relevant internal and external events within the company All Accor Hotels Sept 2011 All Hotels will develop information on local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and this will be readily available to our guests in the lobby and bedrooms Regional Feb 2012 Hotels to showcase local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist s work Each Hotel to make available information to customers on local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourist destinations and guided tours Regional workshops to be held in partnership with Indigenous organisations. At least 2 workshops to be completed per region 14 15

9 Action Responsibility Timeline Target Action Responsibility Timeline Target RESPECT Develop and implement Excellence Awards to recognise Indigenous and non-indigenous employees who have made a significant contribution to the Accor RAP and /or Indigenous Community Promote Accor RAP to key clients reinforcing company commitment to reconciliation for all Australians Accor employees to experience Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage All Accor employees Dec 2011 Annual awards criteria established Selection Committee established Annual awards ceremony held to recognise outstanding contributions VP Australia Sales and Marketing April 2011 Promote to clients and partners by sending the RAP to all key stakeholders Feb 2012 In partnership with Mission Australia a selection of Accor employees will be invited to meet Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to define areas where Accor can assist Mission Australia with future community needs Creation of a reconciliation website to reinforce Accor s commitment Accor induction program for new employees to include information on reconciliation commitment Develop and Implement Accor s reconciliation event strategy to include recognition and celebration of significant Indigenous events Dec 2011 Website designed and established for internal purposes Acadamie Accor June 2011 Information on the following will be provided; Introduction to Accor Indigenous program by Vice President, Australia History of Accor Indigenous Program Presentation on Accor RAP All Accor Feb 2012 Promotion of key events such as; NAIDOC National Reconciliation Week Sorry Day Other designated cultural celebrations 16 17

10 OPPORTUNITIES Action Responsibility Timeline Target Increase the representation of Indigenous Australians within Accor All Accor March % of workforce to be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Accor is committed to engaging and retaining Indigenous Australians through improved career opportunities and training. This will allow us to access a broad and committed talent pool of staff to be the face of our ever growing business, which will in turn allow us to establish stronger links with our communities and help us to better welcome, understand and meet the needs of all of our guests. Accor will provide training and educational opportunities in the following areas; Cadetship trainees Schools based traineeships University internships Identify and promote Indigenous employment opportunities at specially targeted recruitment events Implement employment workshops providing skills training and customer service Indigenous Australian representation within the Accor Graduate Management Trainee Program March 2012 Feb 2012 Each Region to partner with appropriate education networks to provide work experience opportunities within Accor Accor to participate in 10 expo s nationally promoting career opportunities for Indigenous Australian candidates Academie Accor Dec 2011 Each Region to complete a minimum of 2 job ready training programs Oct Indigenous Australian applicants to be selected for the GMT program either existing or external candidates 18 19

11 Tracking & Reporting Action Responsibility Timeline Target Action Responsibility Timeline Target Develop a procurement strategy which incorporates Indigenous suppliers relevant to Accor business segments Procurement Australia / Pacific Sept 2011 Acknowledged as member of Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC) Procurement strategy in place to support relationships with AIMSC suppliers, that have a direct fit to the organisation Review progress of objectives by National Committee National Committee Quarterly National Committee meet on a quarterly basis, which would include; Evaluation of Regional / National RAP activities Results to be communicated by newsletter and Accornet OPPORTUNITIES Business Mentoring program in partnership with AIMSC Implemented Mutual mentoring program to be made available to all Indigenous employees Buddy program for new Indigenous employees to be established to assist in the day to day work environment Regional Indigenous conference to be held to share learning, best practice and network with Indigenous colleagues Aug 2011 Accor employees to provide professional support to assist growing Indigenous companies, for 2 way learning Academie Accor November 2011 Mutual mentoring guidelines to be defined 30 Accor employees to volunteer themselves as possible mentors for Indigenous employees Hotel Representatives May 2011 March 2012 Buddy guidelines to be defined all new Indigenous employees to be supported by buddy in first 4 weeks of employment with ongoing discussions as required Regional conferences organised with Indigenous employees Report on RAP annually to track progress and expansion of current actions and identify new actions RAP to be refreshed annually in light of learning and opportunities Employees to assess Accor s commitment to reconciliation March 2012 Report on RAP progress posted on intranet Report available on Accor website Report available on Reconciliation Australia website National Committee March 2012 Revise and update RAP on an annual basis Refresh RAP - available on Accor website Refresh RAP available on Reconciliation Australia website Aug 2011 Engage Accor s employees to provide feedback through Employee Opinion Survey (EOS) 20 21

12 Stories from our people across Australia Family, people, heritage, Journey within Accor Dale Froysth Room Attendant, All Seasons Geraldton WA Selina Zaro Food and Beverage Attendant, The Swanston Hotel Grand Mercure Graham Ross Receptionist / Duty Manager, Mercure Cairns Harbourside Shane Blackmore Housekeeping Supervisor, Novotel Northbeach NSW Dale comes from the Yamatji people and has lived in Geraldton with her family her whole life. She is the oldest of 14 children and has 3 young children of her own. Dale had become a mother at 15 years of age. After her youngest child was able to go to school, she decided to head into the workforce. After driving past the All Seasons Geraldton her whole life and never knowing what it really was, she decided one day to stop and get the phone number. Dale then rang the hotel to see if there were any job opportunities there. She received a phone call the next day, where she was asked to go in for an interview. Dale started work that week. It has been 2 years since Dale has been with Accor and it s her home away from home. Dale s message to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Don t be ashamed and afraid of the unknown, because you will never know until you go. Selina was born and raised in Townsville, QLD. Moving to Melbourne has proved to be challenging in terms of seeking the right company to work for. She was not concerned about the money, she just wanted to find a job that would make her feel comfortable and can be proud of. Selina joined the Job Ready Program in Melbourne in Not only did Accor open its doors to her career path, but she was also inspired by the Academie Accor trainer, he had told her to believe in herself and achieve ANYTHING! After five days of intensive training, Selina was successful on securing a role of Food and Beverage Attendant at The Swanston Hotel Grand Mercure. For Selina, this was one of the greatest achievements in her life. After six months, Selina has mastered the breakfast shifts and is now getting cross exposure to serving lunch at the Café. She is well respected by her Managers and team mates. Selina is truly proud of working for Accor. She feels that she can add value to the hotel and the hotel allows her to learn valuable skills. She strives to become a Manager for Accor within the next five years. Selina s message to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Where there s a will, there s a way. It s up to you, success is never far away. Graham was born in Katherine, NT, a little country town 300km south of Darwin, he comes from the Mara tribe in the Ngukurr region which is located South East of Arnhem Land. He left Katherine at a very young age and moved to the big city of Darwin to complete school. This move was to get away from his friends which were steering him in the wrong direction. Graham left school at the age of 18 and never passed any high school certificates. At that time sport was a major part of his life, therefore tests were not a priority. After school, all he could think about was being a mechanic. Due to his minimal education he was unable to secure an apprenticeship. Graham then decided to enrol at Charles Darwin University, which had shown Graham that he had more choices in life. So for the next 12 months he channelled all his energy towards working in an office. Towards the end of the 12 months he completed work experience at the Novotel Atrium Darwin, where the General Manager advised him that there could be a position opening at the end of the work experience. 6 months had past and with Graham not giving up on the opportunity that may arise at the Novotel and with him consistently going to the hotel to meet with the General Manager he was then offered the position as Night Auditor. In 2003 Graham was the first Indigenous employee to win Accor s most prestigious award, I Build Smiles for the Australia / New Zealand region. This award also gave him the opportunity to travel to Paris!! Graham is employed in the local community as a Program Development Officer for Department of Communities, Rural & Remote Youth Justice and is still working at the Mercure Cairns Harbourside Hotel. His son Joel has now also been employed at the Mercure as a Food and Beverage Attendant Shane s grandfather comes from the Wiradjuri tribe in NSW. However Shane grew up in Wollongong and all of Shane s family now lives in Wollongong. Shane started working for Accor in October 2006 after attending an Indigenous Job Ready Program; he was then promoted to Supervisor, in April 2007 he was promoted to supervisor. Since then Shane has worked in various job titles in many different departments within the hotel. Shane is well respected by his fellow colleges and is an Indigenous ambassador for the hotel. Being active in the community is also something that Shane is very passionate about, he regularly speaks to Indigenous Youth about various Job Opportunities within Accor and his personal journey getting to where he is today. Shane s message to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: Nothing in life is free; we have to work for everything we get. So it s time to stand up on our own two feet and be accounted for. 22 Graham s message to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: If at first you don t succeed, try and try again. Don t ever let anyone say it s not for you. 23

13 Indigenous Employment Co-ordinator contact details: Telephone Facimile