Indigenous - First Nations
We respect and acknowledge all local communities, including Traditional owners and First Nation peoples, where we conduct our business.
We are working to promote and improve First Nations participation. Increasing cultural awareness and knowledge is an important cornerstone for opening more opportunities to share project benefits with communities where we work.
In Australia, CPB Contractors and UGL both have Stretch Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) in place and Sedgman launched its Innovate RAP in 2022. These formalise activities and commitments for building cultural awareness, education pathways, employment and business opportunities.
We are in step with Government clients and policies, such as the NSW Aboriginal Procurement Policy and Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program, and consistently meet project targets for upskilling, employment, and engaging Indigenous businesses.
We aim to increase the number of Indigenous employees to 4% by 2025. In 2022 1.5% of our employees identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
Supporting our initiatives are the long-term partnerships we have in place with:
- CareerTrackers – CareerTrackers supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students by linking them with employers for paid, multi-year internships.
- Clontarf Foundation – Founded in Western Australia in 2000, the Clontarf Foundation uses a unique, innovative and highly successful approach to target one of the most at risk groups in contemporary Australian society, young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men.
- Supply Nation – Australia’s largest national directory of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, Indigenous Business Direct, are not only Indigenous owned but are also regularly audited for changes in company structure and ownership.
- Tupu Toa – Based in New Zealand, Tupu Toa runs an internship program for Māori and Pacific peoples.
Trusted suppliers are critical to the reliable delivery of our projects and services. The breadth of the Indigenous businesses we work with demonstrates the depth of the sector’s talent and expertise.
Across Australia, in metropolitan, regional and remote areas, Indigenous businesses are providing us with services including labour hire, recruitment and training; technology solutions; civil, environmental and remediation works; fleet management and transport; waste management, plumbing, crane and lifting services, as well as PPE supplies, printing, cleaning and catering – to name just a few.
In 2022, CIMIC Group companies procured $125.9 million worth of goods and services from Indigenous businesses. This is our highest ever spend with Indigenous businesses and represents an increase of 29.9% the previous year.
More than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses are listed in the CPB Contractors’ Aboriginal Business & Social Enterprise database, making it simple to find, engage and employ those best suited to the opportunities available on CPB Contractors’ major construction projects.
These suppliers are also registered with CPB Contractors' prequalification system so there are no delays.
Blackrock Industries
The Sedgman team at MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant Operation, in the Hunter Valley New South Wales, is proudly partnered with Blackrock Industries, a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned service company. Blackrock Industries provide people and equipment to mining and civil projects Australia-wide. They work with clients, such as Sedgman, to establish employment opportunities, supporting the career aspirations of First Nations People throughout Australia.
Blackrock Managing Director, Steve Lessar said: “We don't feel like a subcontractor working with Sedgman, we feel that we are a partner on this journey of opportunities and reconciliation. Our employees constantly say Sedgman is fantastic at welcoming them as part of the team and we look forward to continuing our relationship on future opportunities.”
Bunji Hire
CPB Contractors’ M80 Upgrade and Monash Freeway Upgrade projects are working with local Indigenous business Bunji Hire to reduce their carbon footprint through an electric fleet.
Bunji founder, Dean Rioli, says “CPB supported our business in the early stages. They believed we would deliver a quality service. This gave me the confidence that the business would kick goals across a number of projects, and we are now able to supply other top tier clients purely because we have a track record on a number of CPB projects."
JC Promotions & Apparel
JC Promotions & Apparel supply products to Sedgman and other CIMIC Group companies. Australian Indigenous owned and operated merchandise supplier, JC Promotions & Apparel, are helping Sedgman get ready for the launch of their Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan with some deadly products, including an Acknowledgment of Country plaque.
Director, Jesse Thomson and his business partner Christopher Kiprios supply products to Sedgman and other CIMIC Group companies, having first established in 2019. Jesse and Christopher explained that being an Australian Indigenous owned and operated company allows them to provide opportunities to other First Nations Small Businesses and Artists and give back to their Mob and Communities.'
Artist - Luke Penrith
Working closely with Luke Penrith, an Aboriginal artist, UGL has added a new rail compliant long sleeve shirt, featuring Luke’s “Bloodlines” design.
These shirts, worn by our team members, help to spark conversations on sites and projects about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage, while improving the diversity of UGL’s supply chain. The Bloodlines shirts are being rolled out across various sites and projects, starting with UGL Unipart, Auburn and UGL’s Dandenong, Victoria site.