May 26, 2022

Why we’ve committed to a Reconciliation Action Plan

We believe that together we can create a bright future for every Australian – a future where Australia is more inclusive and First Nations culture and knowledge are respected and celebrated.
Why we’ve committed to a Reconciliation Action Plan

At Cube, we have a strong vision for a better future. Our work takes us into many public value settings, and we are committed to being a consultancy at the centre of positive change.  

For First Nations people, the confronting truth is that more change needs to happen to close the gap between Indigenous Australians and the broader Australian community, and to overcome the inequalities they face. 

Today marks the start of National Reconciliation Week. This year’s theme, “Be Brave. Make Change”, challenges individuals, families, communities, organisations and governments to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation. We commenced our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) this year. Its development has already challenged us to look closely at how we collaborate, learn and act on reconciliation. This week we are submitting our draft Reconciliation Action Plan to Reconciliation Australia for review.  

We’ve always had a sincere, well-intended and respectful approach to business, and embedding the value of unity is important. In previous years:  

  • Our team has participated in cultural awareness training to improve our knowledge and awareness of cultural assumptions to ensure we work respectfully with Indigenous Australians. We now have regular informal chats on our firm’s messaging platform and formal discussions in team meetings so everyone can come together to share thoughts and individual learning to improve our firm-wide awareness and commitment to reconciliation.
  • As part of National Reconciliation Week, Cube held a movie screening of In My Blood It Runs, an observational feature documentary following a young Aboriginal boy as he grows up Alice Springs. Our team were encouraged to share their reflections and discuss scenes that prompted further questions.  
  • As a business we shared links to the Raise the Age petition which sought to increase the age of criminal responsibility and shared organisations Cubies could donate to in support of closing the gap in Indigenous education.  
  • Cube regularly uses Supply Nation, a platform that connects our firm with Indigenous businesses to create a more inclusive economy (we currently use a stationery provider, caterers and a test & tag electrician from this platform).   

We do, however, recognise there is more we can do. Our decision to develop a RAP ensures our efforts are considered and impactful. A Reconciliation Action Plan will coordinate our initiatives and ensure we’re making a positive, measurable contribution towards reconciliation.   

We are starting with reflection   

The first part of our reconciliation journey is to better educate ourselves on the challenges and issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, historical harms and the ongoing impacts of structural colonisation. We have chosen to develop a ‘Reflect’ RAP that includes scoping and developing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, deciding on our vision for reconciliation, and exploring our sphere of influence. (There are four RAP levels to choose from; Reflect, followed by Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. Each level allows organisations to continually develop their reconciliation commitments)   

We are deliberate in our approach    

A Reconciliation Action Plan is a priority for our firm, and as such, a working group and executive sponsorship are overseeing the plan’s implementation. We announced to the team that we have commenced our RAP planning at a firmwide team day in April, held at the Koori Heritage Trust in Melbourne. The day began with a Welcome to Country from Uncle Steve Parker, followed by a smoking ceremony on the Birrarung Marr riverbanks (Yarra River). This ancient custom, involving the smoking native plants, is to ward off bad spirits and clear a pathway for a brighter future. This is precisely why Cube is developing a RAP. We are committed to ensuring diversity and inclusion, cultural understanding, and social equality.     

Together we can create a bright future for every Australian    

Our first Reconciliation Action Plan will turn our good intentions into positive actions and will enable Cube to sustainably and strategically take meaningful action to advance reconciliation in our own unique way.  Over the next 12 months, we are taking time to listen and learn from Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander communities and to collaborate and share. We want to be active participants in reconciliation.   

At Cube, we believe that together we can create a bright future for every Australian – a future where Australia is more inclusive and First Nations culture and knowledge are respected and celebrated. We look forward to sharing our journey with you all.   

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