Reconciliation Australia has endorsed Hardie Grant’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), making our publishing and integrated content marketing agency one of the few media businesses with an endorsed RAP.
Hardie Grant joins over 1000 dedicated corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations that have formally committed to reconciliation through the RAP program, which started in 2006.
RAP organisations across Australia are turning good intentions into positive actions, helping to build higher trust, lower prejudice and increase pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
“In creating our RAP, we are formalising our commitment to change — turning good intentions into positive actions,” says Fiona Hardie, co-founder of Hardie Grant and chair of Hardie Grant Media. “The process itself has already had innumerable positive impacts across our business. I encourage anyone who’s thinking about it to take the step,” she adds.
Fiona Hardie, holding some of Hardie Grant's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander titles.
The RAP, which took a working group of Hardie Grant staff around a year to develop, sets a path for our business in continuing to work towards reconciliation and constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. It includes a commitment to a range of activities — from raising awareness internally about the history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to building supplier networks and creating work opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Our actions to date include:
Through the CareersTrackers internship program, providing an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander university student with a paid internship, with a view to employing them once they graduate
A strong and growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander publishing program that includes recent books Welcome to Country by Marcia Langton and Finding the Heart of the Nation by Thomas Mayor, as well as award-winning children’s books
Corporate giving to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF), with staff and authors volunteering and participating in ILF activities
Sponsorship of the Indigenous stream at the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival
Lunch and Learns: film screenings, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander speakers and smoking ceremonies.
The commitment to developing a RAP and working towards reconciliation is an authentic expression of our values here at Hardie Grant. We genuinely want to make a difference through our actions and set an example for other businesses.