Reconciliation

In February, members and employees came together for a virtual national event that officially launched our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The launch was hosted by Andrew Hunter, and included guest speakers President and Chair Merran Kelsall, member and Wiradjuri Elder Aunty Irene Morris, member and Bidjara man Dean Morrison, and RAP Executive Sponsor Rowena Buddee. The General Manager from Reconciliation Australia, who officially endorsed our RAP, Peter Morrison, also spoke at the event.

The Innovate RAP is the second iteration of our reconciliation journey. It represents our ongoing progress towards reconciliation and our growing understanding of what our organisation’s greatest sphere of influence is: our members and the broader accounting profession.

The three key focusses of this RAP are:

• Build the number of First Nations people in the accounting profession.
• Promote the value of accounting for Australian Indigenous communities.
• Continue to build awareness, education and capability with members and employees.

Though we were not in a RAP cycle during 2021, we have continued to deliver on our ongoing commitment.

• Our Indigenous artwork project enabled each division engaged with their local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to source a unique piece of art depicting the local land and traditional owners of that land on which each office resides. These artworks act as a beautiful visual cue to our respect and commitment to reconciliation and can be viewed in any of our 8 Australian office locations
• Our joint Reconciliation Week event welcomed over 500 employees and members joined us to hear from a guest panel of some of First Nations Members. This group of volunteers represented a diversity of genders, generations, different locations, and a wide range of experiences, who shared personal stories about themselves, what lands they have come from, how they got into the accounting profession, what they are passionate about, and what Reconciliation means to them.
• The CPA Australia Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarship filled all 5 scholarship positions for the first time since the scholarships inception. To date, 43 scholarships have been awarded.
• The acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country protocols has been introduced at formal employee and member events as a sign of respect towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• A member profile self-identification tool allows new and existing members to identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. This tool is helping us understand current member representation and measure future growth.
• Reconciliation and Indigenous Culture learning offerings were introduced during NAIDOC Week and the offering is available to all employees