reconciliation action plan 2015 - allens · the energetic octogenarian lily nungarrayi hargaves....

RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2015 & REPORT ON PROGRESS 2014-15

Allens is an independent partnership operating in alliance with Linklaters LLP.

Michael Rose Chief Executive Partner Allens

This year we launch our fourth Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This gives us an opportunity to reflect on our work and our contribution towards reconciliation. It is also a chance for us to deepen the relationships we have with our RAP partners, and for our people to continue developing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Over the past year, I have attended several events where I have heard individuals and organisations with whom we have worked share their stories about the impact our work has had on them and their communities. I have also heard from my colleagues at Allens about the experience they have gained from their involvement in this work – those mentoring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, local RAP committees, staff undertaking pro bono secondments and the team of lawyers developing submissions that contribute to the nation’s discussion on constitutional recognition.

I’m proud to belong to a firm that contributes to this important work across so many areas, and to see such a talented, passionate and diverse group of people working towards a common goal – of strengthening relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities, and ensuring the same level of opportunity exists for them as for other Australians.

In this report, we share our achievements over the past 12 months and our 2015 Reconciliation Action Plan, which outlines our commitment for the next two years. I thank my colleagues at Allens and our friends in the wider community, particularly those in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, for their continued support and guidance in this work.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE PARTNER

Justin Mohammed Chief Executive Officer Reconciliation Australia

On behalf of Reconciliation Australia, I congratulate Allens on the release of this, their fourth Reconciliation Action Plan. We have followed Allens’ journey in reconciliation through the development of each of its RAPs, and have been pleased to see the ongoing growth in engagement of Allens’ leaders and its people in RAP programs and initiatives in place within the organisation and the broader community.

Allens is a key part of our dynamic RAP community, dedicated to providing opportunities in education, employment and business for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Allens has reiterated its commitment to reconciliation through the five pillars of this latest RAP, which are founded on relationships, respect and opportunities.

As the first top-tier law firm to implement a RAP, Allens has shown strong leadership on reconciliation in the legal profession and also in the broader business community in which it operates. The firm’s leaders and RAP Committees actively seek opportunities to engage employees in RAP activities, and to collaborate with external organisations to create greater outcomes for, and stronger relationships with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. In particular, Allens has made a strong contribution to the national discussion on the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our country’s constitution. Allens should be congratulated on this strong leadership.

I wish Allens well for the innovative reconciliation actions set for the coming years and look forward to seeing you continue to build on your success.

MESSAGE FROM RECONCILIATION AUSTRALIA CEO

4ALLENS RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2015

OUR BUSINESSWe have some of the world’s longest ongoing client relationships, stretching back more than 160 years. Our clients include 55 of the world’s top 100 companies and more than 75 of Australia’s top 100 public companies. They benefit from our innovative approach to complex work, technical expertise, commercial acumen and integrity.

This approach, combined with our long-term focus on reconciliation, has allowed us to establish and develop real and meaningful relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations, and to contribute to improved opportunities and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and towards a better Australia.

In May 2012, Allens and Linklaters formed a global alliance to better serve our clients. We offer an integrated service, giving our clients one point of contact and a unified team comprising the best resources of each firm in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America and the US.

In Indonesia, Allens’ and Linklaters’ joint venture with leading Indonesian law firm Widyawan & Partners provides our clients with local expertise and insights into banking, capital markets, energy, infrastructure, mergers and acquisitions, and resources matters.

Allens is a leading law firm with partners, lawyers and corporate services staff across Australia and Asia, and a global network spanning 40 offices and 29 countries.

Photo taken by Managing Associate Matthew McCarthy, during his three-month secondment to the West Kimberley, with the Empowered Communities project.


THE ALLENS RECONCILIATION JOURNEY

In 2009, Allens became the first top-tier law firm in Australia to launch a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). Our RAP focuses on the development of relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, the fostering of respect and the creation of opportunities. The aim is to enable our firm to play a role in closing the gap that exists between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians.

In this, our fourth RAP, we have reflected on the progress of the firm’s reconciliation work of the past couple of years, and updated our planned actions to demonstrate our continued commitment to reconciliation. We hope the new RAP will ensure we can continue to influence social and economic change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, align with the broader business community in building momentum in reconciliation, and represent the contributions of our people across all areas of the business, towards securing a better future for, and stronger relationships with, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The review and refresh of the Allens RAP was led by the firm’s national RAP Partner and the Community Engagement team, supported by the RAP Working Group comprised of representatives from each of the RAP Committees in our Australian offices. We also value the ongoing input of our RAP partner organisations and other Indigenous leaders in the community with whom we have worked, to ensure we utilise our strengths as we continue to improve and build on our RAP commitments.

For many years, Allens has had a strong commitment to a diverse and inclusive workforce, where we value the contribution that people from different backgrounds and life experience bring to our firm. As a law firm, we recognise that we have broad responsibilities to our people, their families and the communities in which we live, and, through an inclusive workplace, we can achieve our business goals in a culture that harnesses diversity and innovation.

Melbounre Guest Relations Manager Josephine Bryant (third from left) on secondment with Jawun to Shepparton in the Goulburn Murray region of Victoria.


TIMELINE OUR RAP STORY SO FAR

Throughout its history, Allens has played a significant role in Australian legal and commercial life. We are a firm that values relationships built on integrity, trust and respect. We focus on excellence and the practical application of the things we do, and encourage our people to be leaders in the wider community. This is what drives our ongoing commitment to reconciliation.

Discover the Allens RAP story so far by visiting our Timeline.

http://www.allens.com.au/RAP/timeline


ARTWORK KITTY NAPANANGKA SIMON

Mina Mina 2013synthetic polymer paint on linen120 x 60 cm Image reproduced courtesy of the artist and Warnayaka Art Centre

Kitty Napanangka Simon is a Warlpiri woman from Lajamanu on the northern edge of the Tanami Desert.

Born in Yuendumu in 1948, Kitty painted her first works in the late 1980s. However she focused her attention on raising a family and took a subsequent two-decade break from painting.

She began painting again in 2008 experimenting with various styles before adopting a looser, more immediate approach at the start of 2013.

Lajamanu has historically nurtured the careers of several gesturally expressive and dynamic, female painters. Most notable have been Lorna Fencer Napurrula, whose posthumous solo retrospective, Yulyuru, toured Australia during 2011-2012; and the energetic octogenarian Lily Nungarrayi Hargaves. Despite the contentious position that these artists occupy amongst other members of their families and the wider community, it is the commitment to women’s law and ceremony that reasserts their authority, and validity of their work.

Kitty’s expressive works initially came under intense scrutiny and evoked heated discussion among other elders who were concerned that they were not accurate

depictions of the appropriate Dreamings. They were, however, won over by these depictions of her homeland country – for this is her primary subject, and not its creation stories.

With fluidity and resolve, Kitty employs optic whites and an array of pastels to capture the feeling and colour of the desert flowers and the natural features of the surrounding salt plains of Mina Mina, 600 kilometres to the south of Lajamanu.

Each painting is carefully considered and deliberated over, changed and discussed with the other artists. This sometimes provokes laughter and sometimes debate as each artist gives their thoughts and reaction to the work. Kitty’s paintings are very different to Lajamanu style, but Warnayaka Art Centre has always had one or two controversial artist in its ranks. Art Centre Manager, Louisa Erglis says:

This criticism has meant Kitty has had to take a brave stand and like women everywhere she isn’t alone, but has the support of her skin sisters and the women staff.

Mina Mina is Kitty’s first solo show nationally following on from Coo-ee’s 2013 group show, Into the Future.

Mina Mina 2013synthetic polymer paint on linen120 x 60 cmImage reproduced courtesy of the artist and Warnayaka Art Centre

Kitty Napanangka SimonRegion: Yuendemu, NTLanguage: WarlpiriExhibition: Mina Mina

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is unique and an important part of Australia’s cultural heritage. It is essential that the stories

of Country are recorded and understood in this way, and that Indigenous community groups are encouraged to maintain their art practice in both historical and contemporary contexts. It is to

these ends that Allens supports these endeavours, and artworks in the Allens Collection are displayed in our offices across Australia.


Reconciliation Australia focus area

Advocate and lead on reconciliation in our profession

supporting the growth of the legal profession's engagement in reconciliation issues, through setting examples and encouraging other organisations to make their own commitment to reconciliation

Relationships

Continue our pro bono commitment

supporting the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the firm's long-standing commitment to provide pro bono legal advice

Opportunities

Create employment opportunities in our firm and in our community

encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to thrive through the provision of employment and training opportunities, to support pathways to meaningful careers

Opportunities

Invest in commercial relationships

providing opportunities for the firm through supply chain diversity, while supporting the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses, enabling them to thrive

Opportunities

Build cultural capacity in our firm and in our community

creating opportunities for our people, clients and the broader community to be educated and engaged in the importance of reconciliation

Respect

THE 5 PILLARS OF OUR RAP


RAP PARTNER ORGANISATIONS

AIEFIn 2007, Allens partnered with the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation (AIEF), providing pro bono support that helped AIEF establish a scholarship program for Indigenous students that has grown to offer more than 500 secondary and tertiary scholarships each year. Allens staff also engage with the AIEF Pathways Program, which provides mentoring and career support to ensure AIEF Scholarship Students make a successful transition from school to careers, including seven volunteer mentors taking part in the long-term AIEF Mentor Program.

Giselle supports me and has an ear to my problems, and she gives good advice.

I enjoy spending time with her and it’s good to have another friend to laugh with.

AIEF Scholarship Student Cathy on her mentor, Giselle Kilvert from Allens


AIMESince 2010, we have been proud to partner with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) to support their work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. AIME provides a structured educational program for Indigenous kids to access throughout their high school experience. Students completing the program are proven to finish school and transition through to university, training and employment at the same rate as every Australian child – effectively closing the gap in educational outcomes.

Now in its 10th year, AIME is working with more than 5,000 Indigenous students, with the goal of 10,000 students by 2018. Allens staff are proud to don hoodies to mark the annual Hoodie Day, and we assist AIME throughout the year through providing pro bono support, staff to assist with mentoring programs, and hosting of events.

It’s exciting now, because we’re at a pretty serious critical mass. We’ve got our sights set on reaching 10,000 kids a year by 2018, which would be one of the biggest whacks at closing the gap in Australian history. And we have

groups like Allens to thank for walking that path with us. Jack Manning-Bancroft

CEO, AIME

AIME Hoodie Day, Melbourne


JawunJawun works to partner government and corporate organisations with Indigenous businesses and leaders, to support development and long-term sustainability in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Allens has been a corporate partner of Jawun since 2011, with 16 secondees now having completed either a six- or 12-week secondment in one of the regions Jawun supports.

Jenni Cameron and fellow secondees with local rangers in north-east Arnhem Land.


2%THE PROPORTION OF

RESPONDENTS TO THE FIRM’S FIRST CULTURE SURVEY

WHO IDENTIFY AS ABORIGINAL OR TORRES

STRAIT ISLANDER OR BOTH

4000+PRO BONO HOURS OUR

LAWYERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ORGANISATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE PAST YEAR

148NUMBER OF LAWYERS ENGAGED IN PRO BONO LEGAL WORK FOR

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ORGANISATIONS

AND INDIVIDUALS THIS YEAR

78ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER LAW STUDENTS HAVE COMPLETED OUR INDIGENOUS LEGAL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

THE AMOUNT SPENT ON PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICES FROM SUPPLY NATION CERTIFIED INDIGENOUS BUSINESSES SINCE 2009

1.22m+ 1100+NUMBER OF STAFF HOURS

CONTRIBUTED TO ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER

ORGANISATIONS THROUGH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH JAWUN AND THE EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES PROJECT

IN THE PAST 18 MONTHS.

> ADVOCATE AND LEAD ON RECONCILIATION IN OUR PROFESSION supporting the growth of the legal profession’s engagement in reconciliation by setting examples and encouraging other organisations to make their own commitment to reconciliation

RELATIONSHIPSAs a firm, we focus on the quality of our relationships with our clients, our colleagues in the legal profession and with the wider community. We invest our time and energy in these relationships and see them as a primary source of satisfaction in our working lives. The quality of our relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and organisations is an important part of our Reconciliation Action Plan.

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We are proud of the leadership we have shown on reconciliation in the legal profession and the broader business community, particularly in the discussion on constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Our membership of the Business Council of Australia’s Business Indigenous Network continues, as does Chief Executive Partner Michael Rose’s position as Chair of the BCA’s Indigenous Engagement Taskforce. We make a submission to the UN Global Compact each year, and this year participated in the Business Dialogue on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

As co-chair of the Legal Profession Reconciliation Network, we’ve continued the collaboration among law firms, regulatory bodies, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal organisations on reconciliation commitments. This year, the network has discussed constitutional recognition, promotion of employment opportunities, access to justice and pro bono legal services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In addition, our local RAP committees have supported programs and events in the legal profession that support recognition, such as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mooting competition and the World Indigenous Lawyers Conference in Brisbane.

Photo by: Louise Law

14ALLENS RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2015 > RELATIONSHIPS

Constitutional RecognitionThe discussion on constitutional recognition has been a particular focus at Allens over the past year. A team of lawyers, led by Partner Ian McGill, prepared the firm’s submission to the Joint Select Committee in early 2015. Our RAP committees across all Australian offices hosted events to encourage awareness of recognition, including in-house debates and information sessions, as well as a roundtable lunch in Sydney, where some of our clients and RAP contacts joined a discussion with reconciliation expert Dr Tom Calma.

In Perth, Partner Marshall McKenna represents the firm on a working group with Recognise, to increase awareness of the campaign in Western Australia. Perth RAP committee members provide secretariat support to that group, providing an opportunity for our ongoing engagement in the campaign.

Promoting a role for business Chief Executive Partner Michael Rose spoke at the 2014 Garma festival at Gulkula, near Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land, on the impact big business can have on reconciliation.

Garma is the largest annual celebration of Yolngu (Indigenous people of North East Arnhem Land) culture, bringing together people from all walks of life across Australia, to share knowledge and culture and to work together to build greater understanding between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. Michael attended Garma on behalf of the firm, as well as in his capacity as a member of the advisory board for the Empowered Communities project.

Chief Executive Partner Michael Rose speaking at the annual Garma festival.

15ALLENS RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2015 > RELATIONSHIPS

OUR ACTIONS TARGETS TIMELINE RESPONSIBILITY

Promote reconciliation and assist organisations in our profession

> Continue to build and lead the Legal Profession Reconciliation Network as a forum for thought leadership and collaboration through convening and co-chairing at least three meetings per year

September 2016 Community Engagement Consultant

> Provide guidance to at least two other corporate organisations each year, to encourage the development and implementation of a RAP

September 2016 Community Engagement Team

Promote reconciliation across the community

> Actively participate in the BCA Business Indigenous Network to build on our learnings in reconciliation through:

• attendance at quarterly meetings• membership of supplier diversity sub-committee• support of BCA-hosted events


> Build awareness, promote and support discussion in the firm and broader business community on the issue of constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through:

• continued sharing of legal expertise in this area• aligning with clients to build engagement on the issues• supporting internal and external events to promote discussion among our people

December 2016 RAP Committees Community Engagement Consultant

Develop and share our legal expertise in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues

> Provide advice to our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and collaborate with peer firms in this area to improve referral pathways

June 2016 Director of Community Engagement

> Align with client organisations to create at least one shared event to engage staff in the reconciliation discussion

June 2016 Community Engagement Consultant

Consult with a working group to support the ongoing development of our RAP

> Continue to consult with a range of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advisers and non-Indigenous advisers on the development of our RAP through:

• quarterly meetings of national RAP committees• six-monthly progress updates to the firm’s Chief Executive Partner, Leadership Team and Board• seeking ongoing feedback from RAP committees, partners and external Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander advisers, including suppliers, Indigenous internship alumni and peers in client organisations

June 2016 Chief Executive Partner RAP Partner Community Engagement Consultant

Build internal & external communication and access to resources

> Share information on local and national events and programs with all employees, clients, RAP contacts and community leaders through:

• publishing our RAP on our website and intranet, and circulating to internal and external contacts• regular updates to employees through sharing stories on our intranet and reconciliation

community microsite• profiling of highlights of our RAP work in the annual In the Community brochure • inclusion of RAP introduction session in induction program for new staff• availability of books and DVDs in the RAP libraries established in the Brisbane and Melbourne offices

December 2015 Community Engagement Consultant Communications Manager

> ADVOCATE AND LEAD ON RECONCILIATION IN OUR PROFESSION

OPPORTUNITIESFor our Reconciliation Action Plan to have real, practical and lasting impact, it must create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to expand their skills and experience. We recognise the importance of mutually beneficial opportunities to enable them to work with, and engage in, our business. Investment in education and employment opportunities and supporting development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned enterprise in collaboration with their own people enables the growth of sustainable communities.

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Pro bono legal work continues to be a major focus for us in our commitment to reconciliation. In the past year, almost 15 per cent of all of the firm’s pro bono work was undertaken for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients – a total of more than 4000 hours of work involving almost 150 lawyers. In addition, staff in legal and non-legal roles across the firm have provided more than 30 weeks of pro bono support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations while on secondment through our partnership with Jawun and the Empowered Communities project.

We work with our networks in the legal profession to obtain referrals and improve access to justice and pro bono for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities. This year, we co-coordinated and hosted meetings for major law firm pro bono heads with ORIC and with NATSILS to discuss better coordination of pro bono referrals. We provided an opportunity for staff to hear from one of our pro bono clients – Joe Ross of the Bunuba Community – at a lunchtime information session, and, through the Legal Profession Reconciliation Network, we hosted a session to share experiences in pro bono with the network, and to hear from legal services organisations about current and emerging needs in this area.

> CONTINUE OUR PRO BONO COMMITMENT supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the firm’s long-standing commitment to provide pro bono legal advice

17ALLENS RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2015 > OPPORTUNITIES

Ngukurr Language Centre Aboriginal CorporationThe Ngukurr Language Centre Aboriginal Corporation, founded in 2011, was established to revitalise the languages of the Ngukurr community in Northern Territory. In 2014, Allens, through its affiliation with the Arts Law Centre of Australia, provided pro bono assistance to the Ngukurr Language Centre in relation to its Ngalakgan Digitisation Project. The project involves the creation of a web-based repository of a variety of learning materials regarding the Ngalakgan language available for use by the community.

Community members involved in the Ngukkur project L-R Hazel Ponto, Hannah Duncan, Julie Roy, Francis Garadji, James Garadji and Cherry Daniels.

One of the best things about the PIAC internship…has been being able to meet one-on-one with many of the staff, including the Chief Executive, Edward Santow, and the Indigenous Justice Program’s Sarah Bassiuoni. I’ve been able to ask them about their legal careers, the cases they have worked on and their passion for helping people through the work they are involved in.

Karina Marlow, Indigenous legal intern and PIAC secondee.

PIAC Summer InternshipThrough our partnership with the Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) in Sydney, we developed an opportunity for a participant of our Indigenous Legal Internship Program, Karina Marlow, to undertake a secondment during her summer break. The secondment allowed Karina to gain broader exposure to a range of legal issues and in a different environment to that which she experienced at Allens, and to put her legal skills into practice. It’s also a great opportunity for us to build on our commitment to the creation of employment pathways and opportunities within the legal profession.



Support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and relevant public interest organisations through pro bono legal advice

> Over 15 per cent of our pro bono work will be undertaken for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients or public interest organisations working on projects related to reconciliation


Profile pro bono legal services available to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander justice sector

> Continue to work with pro bono referral networks to increase access of information about services and take up rates

July 2016 Director of Community Engagement

Build capability across the pro bono legal sector to respond to the needs of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community

> Facilitate opportunities for the pro bono sector to hear from Aboriginal legal services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations about the legal needs of their community by hosting at least one meeting or seminar each year

December 2015 Director of Community Engagement Pro bono Committee RAP Committees

> Provide opportunities each year for at least one of our Indigenous interns to undertake a secondment with a public interest organisation

July 2016 Director of Community Engagement Community Engagement Consultant

> CONTINUE OUR PRO BONO COMMITMENT


My internship was basically my first major insight into what I could achieve in this industry. Prior to that experience I had very little concept of what was involved in being a lawyer at a top-tier firm or the process that I would have to follow to achieve that. I thoroughly enjoyed the environment at Allens and the idea of the corporate world as a whole and I have never looked back.

Lawyer and Indigenous Legal Internship alumnus, Melbourne office

Participating in the Indigenous Legal Internship Program at Allens changed my career path from criminal law to commercial law. On a personal level, I was very excited to see a top-tier firm commit to a program designed specifically for Indigenous law students. During the internship I also learnt that Allens is committed to many other pro bono initiatives focused on Indigenous people. Jayde Geia, Lawyer and alumnus of Indigenous Legal Internship Program, Brisbane office

> CREATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR FIRM AND IN OUR COMMUNITY encouraging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to thrive through the provision of employment and training opportunities, to support pathways to meaningful careers

We continue to support the creation of employment opportunities in the firm and in the community, and work with our RAP partners to provide career pathways sessions for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, providing insights into life and work in a corporate environment. Our Indigenous Legal Internship Program continues to provide opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander law students, and we have provided advice on training programs for non-legal roles with the aim of broadening opportunities within the firm and the business community, to students interested in areas other than law.

Indigenous Legal Internship ProgramOur Indigenous Legal Internship Program has seen 78 students join us to experience life in a corporate law firm since the program commenced in 2006. Several have undertaken vacation clerkships with us following their internship, two of our interns have obtained graduate positions within the firm and many others have gone on to develop careers within the legal profession and other corporate organisations.

We have now commenced a mentoring program for interns, in addition to developing an alumni program to maintain contact and provide ongoing support as the students progress through their studies, into careers.


MentoringAllens staff across the firm have an opportunity to become involved with a range of programs that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. 26 staff have been involved in mentoring programs for secondary and tertiary students over the past year through our partnerships with AIEF, AIME, and various universities, and through our own Indigenous Legal Internship Program.

The Brisbane RAP committee’s Reconciliation Action Mentoring Program (RAMP) program, first piloted in 2013 with the University of Queensland’s Indigenous Student Association, expanded last year to include QUT and Griffith University, and currently has nine mentor pairings. In all states, staff celebrated National Hoodie Day by wearing AIME hoodies and taking part in a morning tea event to raise funds and support AIME in the development of its programs supporting better education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

Allens mentors Jeanine Barbi, Peter Brennan and Rachael Duggan from our Sydney and Brisbane offices meet their students at the AIEF Mentor Program 2015 induction day.

2014 Indigenous Legal interns and Allens staff celebrate National Hoodie Day, Perth office.



Continue to support and increase employment pathways by building the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment strategy

> Continue to offer up to 10 Indigenous legal internship opportunities each year, across all offices July 2016 Graduate Resourcing Team

> Broaden access to internship opportunities by expanding relationships with university student associations

April 2016 Graduate Resourcing Team Community Engagement Consultant

> Develop Indigenous internship alumni group by hosting at least one training/engagement event each year

April 2016 Learning and Development Tean Community Engagement Team

> Seek opportunities to partner with a corporate client to build a legal placement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander legal interns

December 2015 Community Engagement Consultant

> Explore opportunity for one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student each year to undertake non-legal cadetship, to develop business knowledge, profile and leadership capability

December 2015 Community Engagement Consultant Chief Operating Officer

Invest in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander talent pipeline at school and university

> Continue to provide development programs to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school and tertiary students via partnerships with AIEF, AIME and universities, through programs and events such as:

• career panel sessions, office tours and workshops• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mooting competitions

December 2015 Community Engagement Consultant HR Team RAP Committees

> Provide Allens staff the opportunity to undertake at least 20 mentoring and tutoring roles each year for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school and university students through partnerships with AIEF, AIME, and universities

December 2015 Community Engagement Consultant RAP Committees

> Invest in partnerships with AIEF, AIME and Jawun through:

• funding and pro bono legal work• hosting of training programs and events

December 2015 Director of Community Engagement Community Engagement Consultant

> CREATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR FIRM AND IN OUR COMMUNITY


Through our membership of Supply Nation, we seek potential new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers to engage in commercial relationships within Allens. Procurement decision-makers in several of our offices have been involved in workshops to build their awareness of supplier diversity, and are encouraged to offer mentoring advice to businesses to support their development into a commercial relationship with the firm or other corporate organisations.

We joined the supplier diversity sub-committee of the BCA Business Indigenous Network this year, to help develop solutions to the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and corporate Australia in developing mutually beneficial commercial relationships.

Yaru Water & Allens – Building relationships through supplier diversity Yaru Water was formed in 2011, as a partnership between Mt Warning Spring Water owners Shaun and Tessa Martin and Kyle Slabb, a member of the Bundjalung Nation. Yaru Water is bottled at the source, which flows deep beneath the foothills of Mount Warning (also known as Wollumbin), an ancient volcano that last erupted many millennia ago. The land, in the Tweed Valley north of Byron Bay, is sacred to the people of the Bundjalung Nation. The word Yaru means ‘rock’ in Bundjalung language and encompasses all aspects of life.

Yaru is a boutique brand which has grown steadily and we’re proud to have been a part of that. The water is stocked in all of our Australian offices, and served to clients and staff in our boardrooms and at client events. Yaru provides us with a high-quality product that is naturally high in minerals and bottled at the source here in Australia, as well as an opportunity to support an emerging Indigenous-owned business and the local communities and programs it contributes to.

A percentage of the profits from the sale of Yaru Water is directed back into the local community, supporting Indigenous youth leadership programs, ranging from informal sessions at the property which explore cultural identity and spirituality, along with certified training programs designed to assist Indigenous participants to enter the workforce.

At Yaru, we are driven by a strong community development focus and a commitment to make an ongoing tangible contribution to “closing the gap” on disadvantage, in particular in Indigenous communities.

Tessa Martin – Director, Yaru Water

> INVEST IN COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIPS providing opportunities for the firm through supply chain diversity, while supporting the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses, to enable them to thrive

Shaun Martin & Kyle Slabb from Yaru Water on location at the Mt Warning site.



Grow and develop Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business relationships by expanding engagement across all procurement areas of the firm

> Continue membership and support of Supply Nation by developing one new ongoing supply relationship

June 2016 Community Engagement Consultant Corporate Services Managers

> Engage procurement decision-makers in our supplier diversity strategy through internal training sessions and opportunities to mentor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses

April 2016 Community Engagement Consultant

> Inclusion of supplier diversity policy consideration in the performance objectives of key procurement decision-makers in the firm

April 2016 Community Engagement Team Corporate Services Managers

Work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses to build business awareness

> Continue to offer secondment opportunities for our people to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations through Jawun

Ongoing Community Engagement Consultant Corporate Services Directors

> Grow our contribution to the Empowered Communities project through the secondment of a senior lawyer

September 2015 RAP Partner Community Engagement Consultant

Provide legal assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises to assist in building their capacity

> Continue to provide pro bono legal advice to at least two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned enterprises


> INVEST IN INDIGENOUS COMMERCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

> BUILD CULTURAL CAPACITY IN OUR FIRM AND IN OUR COMMUNITY creating opportunities for our people, clients and the broader community to be educated and engaged in the importance of reconciliation.

RESPECTOur success as a firm is built on the skill, experience and good judgment of our people and the values they bring with them from their homes and communities. We operate in many countries and we recognise the creative energy that is generated when people with different backgrounds, cultures and experiences work together in an environment that values their differences and fosters mutual respect. Respect between people is a fundamental value in our firm and fundamental to our Reconciliation Action Plan.

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The engagement and education of our staff in reconciliation is an ongoing focus for us, and local RAP committees are dedicated to building on this through the range of events, communications and local sponsorships they undertake each year. From roundtable lunches with clients to discuss constitutional recognition, cultural capacity training programs and morning teas in the office with guest speakers, to cultural walks in the local community and events supporting excellent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre, staff are encouraged to engage in the reconciliation conversation on a number of levels.

Under our current RAP, we have launched and developed our Reconciliation online community, a centralised internal portal for sharing of discussion on reconciliation, and information on the firm’s reconciliation initiatives. Members of the RAP committees across Australia took part in an internal video campaign, Just One Thing, to encourage colleagues in all areas of the firm to consider the contributions they could make towards reconciliation.

https://publish.viostream.com/play/ota87g7nx84b

25ALLENS RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN 2015 > RESPECT

Jawun & Empowered CommunitiesIn the past year, several of our Corporate Services and legal staff have undertaken secondments through Jawun, taking up the opportunity to support local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations in Redfern in Sydney, Shepparton in the Goulburn Murray region of Victoria, and in North East Arnhem Land. Chief Legal and Technology Services Officer Beth Patterson spent time in the East Kimberley, working on a range of projects to support the Wunan Foundation in assisting the development of the local community, and Managing Associate Matthew McCarthy was the first of our people to undertake a three-month secondment with the Empowered Communities Project. Based in the West Kimberley, Matthew was part of a team working on a proposal for the reform of the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and government, so that the leaders and representatives of those communities can have a greater say in the allocation of funding and implementation of programs and services in the communities they represent.

‘I have had the opportunity to play a meaningful role in the Empowered Communities project, which, with government and community support, just might bring about real and lasting positive changes that will empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and leave their communities stronger, healthier and happier places for the next generation. I can’t speak highly enough of my secondment experience – it has exceeded my expectations in so many ways. I hope that with the ongoing support of Allens and the other corporate supporters of the Jawun program, we can make the Empowered Communities reforms a reality.’

Matthew McCarthy, Managing Associate and Empowered Communities secondee.


RAP committeesIt is the work of our RAP committees that drives broader staff engagement in our RAP initiatives and programs, through the wide range of events and activities they roll out each year. In the past year, these have included: hosting clients and RAP partner organisations AIME and AIEF at performances of Walking into the Bigness at the Malthouse Theatre and Black Diggers at Arts Centre Melbourne; a roundtable lunch and discussion on constitutional recognition with Dr Tom Calma in Sydney; the establishment of a RAP library of resources in Brisbane and Melbourne for staff use; short film screenings; and the compilation of a video entitled Just One Thing highlighting key contributions from staff and asking our people to consider how they could make a personal contribution towards reconciliation. Along with our Footprint committee, RAP committees in all offices co-hosted the launch of our partnership with Qantas on its Future Planet program, which supports – among others – the North Kimberley communities through the purchase of carbon credits from the North Kimberley Fire Abatement Project.

Professor Erik van Sebille (centre) with Allens and Qantas staff at the launch of the Qantas Future Planet program partnership.

Allens staff & AIEF students and staff – Black Diggers theatre event, Melbourne.

Charity Committee Indigenous project support - SIDS & Kids – ‘Yummy to be Mummy’ ProgramSIDS and Kids aims to end preventable deaths among babies and young children and provide support services to people affected by the death of a child. In 2014, the firm supported, through the Charity Committee, the ‘Yummy to be Mummy’ program . This program teaches young pregnant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women about pregnancy and child rearing. Topics covered include taking care of a baby, having a healthy pregnancy, keeping the baby safe, budgeting strategies and safe sleeping. This program aims to reduce instances of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, SUDI and SIDS, giving mothers the skills to raise happy, healthy children.

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Provide cultural capacity training to expand opportunities for our employees to build their cultural capability

> All new employees receive an introduction to our RAP as part of their induction Ongoing Learning & Development Team

> All new law graduates receive cultural capacity training by an external provider December 2015 Learning & Development Team Community Engagement Team

> Lawyers working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients complete cultural capacity training with an Indigenous facilitator

September 2016 Director of Community Engagement

Promote reconciliation and engagement opportunities within our firm and the broader business community

> Local RAP committees host and encourage participation in events to mark occasions such as National Reconciliation Week, NAIDOC Week and Close the Gap Day, to provide access and connection to Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander culture

• host or participate in at least one event per office to mark National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week

• profile stories and events through the firm’s intranet and Reconciliation community site• promote opportunities for staff to attend external events to mark National Reconciliation Week

and NAIDOC Week• RAP leadership events attended by senior leaders and RAP champions• ensure RAP committees liaise with local NAIDOC committees when planning events• engage the support of Recognise when planning events relating to constitutional recognition • seek opportunities to align with client and other corporate organisations to support the delivery

of their RAP initiatives and activities

June 2016 RAP Committees Community Engagement Team

Promote our protocol for Acknowledging Country to encourage awareness of its importance in our community

> Encourage staff to pay respects to the Traditional Owners of Country through:

• Acknowledging Country or organising a Welcome to Country for significant firm events• considering inclusion of an acknowledgement in email signature blocks during National

Reconciliation Week• supporting leaders to develop a personalised Acknowledgement of Country• encouraging all events hosts to consider making an Acknowledgement of Country

September 2015 RAP Committees Events Team

Provide secondment opportunities to our people to broaden their cultural capacity

> Support up to four secondment opportunities through Jawun and Empowered Communities to enable employees to work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses, to build relationships and business capability through sharing of skills and experience

March 2016 Community Engagement Consultant Corporate Services Directors

> Continue to support at least two secondments each year through our pro bono networks including PIAC

February 2016 Director of Community Engagement

> BUILD CULTURAL CAPACITY IN OUR FIRM AND IN OUR COMMUNITY



Monitor progress through internal committees and updates

> Quarterly national committee meetings, to share successes, challenges and opportunities to develop and improve our RAP

June 2016 RAP Partner Community Engagement Consultant

> Bi-annual reporting to the firm's Leadership team December 2015 Chief Executive Partner RAP Partner Director of Community Engagement

> Share RAP stories with staff, clients and the broader community through:

• regular intranet and Reconciliation Community site updates• profiling at significant staff meetings and social events• publishing highlights of RAP achievements in the annual In the Community brochure on our website• circulating copies of our new RAP and Report on Progress to staff, clients and key RAP contacts

July 2016 Community Engagement Consultant Communications team

Comply with RAP reporting requirements

> Submission to Reconciliation Australia of annual RAP report on progress and impact measurement report; biannual refresh of RAP; submission of BCA BIN Indigenous engagement survey


> TRACKING PROGRESS & REPORTING

www.allens.com.au/rap/Report2015

Allens is an independent partnership operating in alliance with Linklaters LLP.18567

ContactJodie Symes

Community Engagement Consultant [email protected]

http://www.allens.com.au/

reconciliation action plan 2015 - allens · the energetic octogenarian lily nungarrayi hargaves....

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