InterContinental Hotels Group Reconciliation Action Plan 2010-2011
Our Commitment IHG s commitment is to see Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders share the economic and social benefits of the Australian tourism industry. Our contribution to this vision is a national commitment to providing education, training, employment and business opportunities for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders in an environment that values the contribution they provide to our businesses. Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) together with our Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) form the foundation of our commitment. Through our IEP we offer a range of opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and their communities, in and around our businesses. IHG is focused on broadening the success of our Northern Territory IEP to reach even further by extending it across our national network of hotels. Our success to date is a direct reflection of the great work and dedication of our people and partners who share a common goal to raise the skills and workforce participation of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders. As we continue to work towards our target of having 2% of our total workforce made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by 2013, we look forward to seeing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues join our leadership teams and become mentors for other colleagues within our organisation. Yours sincerely, Bruce McKenzie For and on behalf of IHG Hotels Management (Australia) Pty Limited
IHG s Vision for Reconciliation IHG continues to be committed to reducing the impact on our environment and supporting the communities within which we operate, reconciliation is a key part of this commitment. IHG s vision for reconciliation involves contributing to a reduction in the gap between Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians. We aim to achieve this through a framework of cross cultural communication, training & development, employment and economic opportunities. Through this framework we will develop our overall social responsibility, deepen our commitment to customer care and reinforce IHG s position as the world s leading hotel and hospitality organisation.
Our Business IHG is the world s largest hotel group; with over 4,400 hotels globally we have a responsibility and an opportunity to make valuable & positive changes towards reconciliation in the communities within which we operate. Part of our commitment to responsible tourism is creating opportunities for local people, preserving local customs and traditions and introducing guests to local cultures. With operations in more than 100 countries across six continents, ensuring that we operate responsibly in local communities is a key priority. IHG believes that responsible business is about involving local people in tourism to generate greater wellbeing for their communities. Our hotels support economic development through the creation of stable sources of income and by providing opportunities for both employment and local businesses, most notably as employees and suppliers to the hotel.
Our RAP The development of a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for IHG has involved the formation of a RAP Working Group. Our RAP Working Group consists of various stakeholders including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander IHG colleagues; Indigenous Businesses; a cross section of the IHG management team including General Managers, Regional Leaders and the COO Australasia; and Traditional Landowners who own the hotels we manage. The objectives of the IHG RAP have been aligned with the IHG Diversity Plan and complemented by the IHG Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) which aims to create training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders within the tourism industry. The IEP is a key element of the Relationships pillar of our RAP and has been formalised as a direct result of developing our RAP. However, broader discussion around how IHG could better engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders has been underway for several years due to the excellent precedent set by our Northern Territory properties. IHG has dedicated resources to drive the success of our IEP which includes its own National Indigenous Training, Development & Employment Manager. The creation and implementation of our IEP across our national network of hotels and businesses draws on the knowledge gained over the past decade in delivering Indigenous Employment Programs and providing employment opportunities for hundreds of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders in Kakadu and Perth. The information, feedback and experience gained has been reviewed and mapped into our RAP with an aim to set realistic and effective targets.
1. Building Relationships The success of the IHG RAP is dependent on our ability to develop strong, meaningful and lasting relationships with Traditional Landowners and community groups on whose land our local businesses operate. These relationships are not only integral to the implementation of our RAP actions but will also encourage more effective local engagement as a whole. This makes our hotel properties more accessible and attractive to local customers and potential employees and demonstrates our strong commitment to social responsibility and customer care. Focus Area: Community links building on existing relationships and developing new ones. Action Responsibility Timeline Target 1.1 Establish a RAP Working Group made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and stakeholders, Human Resources Division, Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Responsibility Unit and other interested colleagues to deploy and monitor the RAP Regional Human Resources Director March 2011 Nov 2011 - RAP Working Group established - Quarterly meetings held to track RAP progress
1. Building Relationships Focus Area: Community links building on existing relationships and developing new ones. Action Responsibility Timeline Target 1.2 Establish an Indigenous Collaboration Policy and Procedure to prepare properties for engagement with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander colleagues and stakeholders Regional Human Resources Director March 2011 - Develop and provide all Australian IHG properties General Managers with the Indigenous Collaboration Policy to provide support and guidance 1.3 Each property to engage with local Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander leaders and organisations to assist understanding and learning Property General Manager and/or Human Resources Division June 2011 June 2011 - General Managers have contacted relevant local Indigenous Native Title Representative Body. https://www.ntrb.net/publicpages/ntrbmap.aspx# - Every property has shared the IHG RAP with at least one Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander leader / organisation within their area - Each property has developed an agreement to partner with the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander leader / organisation within their area for advice and support on local cultural issues and mentoring opportunities November 2011
2. Cultural Respect Demonstrating cultural awareness and respect is important to IHG; this allows us to effectively work with and respond to the needs of the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in which our hotels and businesses operate. It also fosters a culturally safe workspace, increasing our access to a broader pool of skilled employees. This in turn improves IHG s capacity to deliver effective and culturally appropriate services to our clients and customers. Focus Area: Cultural understanding and respect Action Responsibility Timeline Target 2.1 Promote cultural protocols including Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country for appropriate events General Managers September 2011 January 2012 - Local guidelines for Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country in their area to be developed by each hotel and made available to the RAP working group and all employees - All IHG and property events include cultural protocols where necessary and appropriate 2.2 Provide IHG employees with access to Indigenous cross cultural information / training Talent Development Managers in each property January 2011 January 2012 January 2013 - All new colleagues to receive cross cultural training as part of property induction / orientation - 75% of IHG colleagues have undertaken cross cultural training - 100% of IHG colleagues have undertaken cross cultural training
2. Cultural Respect Focus Area: Cultural understanding and respect Action Responsibility Timeline Target 2.3 Promote cultural understanding and respect on the IHG internal and external websites Corporate Responsibility Division Nov 2011 Nov 2011 - Articles and blogs loaded on internal and external websites to promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievements and activities - Ensure regularly updated information is available to colleagues via the internal website, including a calendar of cultural events 2.4 Celebrate significant Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural events with colleagues and guests, involving local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives Property Management 27 May 3 June 2011 3 July 10 July 2011 - Event held to support National Reconciliation Week at each property - Event held to celebrate NAIDOC Week at each property
3. Opportunities - employment Increasing opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people makes good business sense; it ensures our tourism operations are personal, culturally respectful, genuine and contributes to the health and wellbeing of our local communities. Focus Area: Employment and training of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. Action Responsibility Timeline Target 3.1 Implement a national Indigenous Employment Program (IEP) through the proposed key areas of Engagement, Culture, Training, Employment and Mentoring Regional Director Human Resources June 2011 Nov 2012 Nov 2013 Nov 2013 - Registered Training Organisations (RTO) consulted on best practice for implementation of the IEP - Report annually to COO on attraction and retention data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees - An average of two trainees in place per property across the portfolio - Achieve 2% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce in the business 3.2 Provide annual internal Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholarships for career development Regional Director Human Resources September 2011 - Each year a minimum of one high potential Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander employee to participate in the Emerging Leaders Program, and the IHG I-Grad program if appropriate qualifications are achieved
3. Opportunities - employment Focus Area: Employment and training of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and support of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. Action Responsibility Timeline Target 3.3 Work with local Job Services Australia agencies to target early school leavers and build awareness of available roles Property Human Resources June 2011 - Each property to develop a relationship with local Job Services Australia network - List available roles in each property with local Job Services Australia network, as well as relevant Indigenous media outlets. - Obtain candidates that have been successful in pre-vocational training and work ready programs to the selection process 3.4 Source suppliers from AIMSC (Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council) National Procurement Manager January 2011 January 2011 & ongoing June 2011 & ongoing - Become a member of AIMSC (Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council) - Use AIMSC Suppliers as a part of the tendering process for national supplier agreements - Add approved AIMSC Suppliers to the National Purchasing Platform (Marketboomer)
4. Tracking Our Progress Action Responsibility Timeline Target 4.1 The COO for Australasia will oversee the implementation, reporting and further development of the RAP through the RAP Working Group COO Australasia Nov 2011 - RAP Working Group to report quarterly to the IHG COO / Board / Executive 4.2 RAP to be distributed to all colleagues and made available to the public on IHG website and the Reconciliation Australia website RAP Working Group Nov 2010 - RAP registered on Reconciliation Australia website and IHG website 4.3 Complete annual RAP report and make available to the public RAP Working Group Nov 2011 - Present RAP outcomes in annual report - RAP report registered on Reconciliation Australia website and IHG website 4.4 Complete annual RAP refresh and make available to the public RAP Working Group Jan 2011 - RAP refresh registered on Reconciliation Australia website and IHG website
Our Indigenous Employment Program Logo Created by Kunwiniku artist David Cameron from East Arnhemland in the Northern Territory, our Indigenous Employment Program logo represents Mulil; meaning celebrating together, harmony between male and female, family unity and relationships. Using specialised Arches paper, didgeridoos and bark, David s skilful paintings feature renderings of the fish and animal life of native homelands. He paints with grass; the stem of a freshwater reed with many fibres inside which are pared to the thickness required for his skin group, Yirridia. The thickness of the lines and the way they are applied in his art are very important besides skin, they tell the clan and country of the artist.