18 December 2023

Custom Fleet Innovate RAP: 2023 achievements, challenges, learnings

This year, we’ve been busy progressing towards our vision for Reconciliation and are pleased to publicly share our achievements, challenges, and learnings.

This is a great opportunity to reflect on the impact we’ve made in the first year of our RAP journey.

To achieve Custom Fleet’s vision for Reconciliation as set out in our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) – (3.3MB, PDF), we’ve taken significant steps forward in our understanding of reconciliation and appreciation of the unique cultures and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

In-line with our broad RAP commitments, we are required to publicly share our RAP achievements, challenges, and learnings annually.

Here’s how we tracked through 2023…

2023 achievements:

1. Launched our RAP
   At a special Harmony Week event in Melbourne, we proudly launched our RAP in March 2023. We were honoured to have Element Fleet Management (our parent company) President and CEO Laura Dottori-Attanasio attend to witness this industry leading RAP come to life after months of planning. The RAP artwork (found on the cover of our RAP document) was gifted to Custom Fleet by former employee and proud Whalua Wirrim man, Tyrhys Wilson.
2. Established a Cultural Training Strategy
   Through our partnership with the Killara Foundation, we welcomed Jillian West to deliver Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Awareness training as key events held though National Reconciliaiton Week and NAIDOC Week. Jillian is master at interactive storytelling and our crew came away with a stronger appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories. As we continue to deliver our Cultural Training Strategy, we look forward to welcoming Jillian back in 2024 to further advance our learning.
3. Held a Smoking Ceremony and Welcome to Country
   We had the privilege to welcome local Indigenous Elder, Raymond “Bubbly” Weatherall, a Gamilaraay man from the Gunu Gunu and Biridja clans, on-site to perform an official Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony to welcome our Sydney crew to their new Sydney CBD home office.
4. Gave all office meeting rooms Indigenous names
   Our Sydney and Melbourne office meeting rooms now have special traditional names which were carefully selected for their meaning to the local area.
5. Displayed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and Acknowledgement of Country plaques
   Our Melbourne and Sydney offices now proudly show our visual commitment to reconciliation with visible flags and Acknowledgement of Country plaques.
6. Posted a public statement in support of the Voice to Parliament Referendum
   As a RAP organisation we proudly shared a public statement outlining our support and encouraging our crew, customers, and communities to vote ‘YES’ in the referendum.
7. Updated our Acknowledgement of Country
   We use an Acknowledgement of Country to kick-off special meetings and events across ANZ. This has become an important reflective appreciation ritual. Our rewording was expanded to include acknowledgement of our Māori brethren.
8. Met all RAP governance requirements
   This includes the convening of our RAP Working Group at least twice a year, and quarterly updates on RAP progress to our crew and senior leaders.

2023 challenges and learnings:

1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce participation
   Through our ongoing partnership with the Killara Foundation, we have together faced a challenge in our ability to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander employees in our business. We have a dedicated role established which we will only fill with someone from an Indigenous background. With record low unemployment in Australia we have held this role vacant for several months and are actively working with the Killara Foundation, and through their network to find a candidate that wants to belong in a corporate financial services organisation.
2. Voice to Parliament Referendum
   Unfortunately, our RAP progress alone is not enough to overcome the pain caused in the context of a divisive Voice to Parliament referendum campaign and the eventual ‘NO’, outcome. This was a challenge Australia wide. This was a challenge Australia wide. We feel a deep sense of sadness for the pain caused to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through this time and our commitment to reconciliation has only been galvanised – we will do all that we can to support these communities through a time of healing. The key learning is that continued racism and a lack of understanding of differences has highlighted a large cultural divide in Australia. Ongoing education and an understanding of the lived experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is imperative.

As we celebrate our achievements and reflect on the challenges and learnings, we are reminded of the ongoing responsibility to listen, learn, and adapt.

The reconciliation journey is not about meeting commitments and milestones, rather it’s about creating a cultural shift that permeates our business, promoting genuine understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, and histories.

We look forward to building on the progress we have made and taking further steps forward to achieving our vision for reconciliation in 2024.