Sydney, 4 April 2019: Michael Page Australia has hosted a Delivering on Diversity event to mark the launch of two priority initiatives further supporting the organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.The breakfast event, held in Sydney today, featured a panel of thought leaders sharing their experiences of Diversity & Inclusion.“Australia’s journey in Reconciliation is still very young so we’ve got to set ourselves up for long-term engagement to solve some of the social ambitions,” Michael Combs, Founder and CEO, CareerTrackers and CareerSeekers shares.“There is an ever-present need of ‘how do we engage people into our economies’ because if not, they will sit on the fringe.“It must be about how we engage people in our communities with long-term vision.”Michael Page’s latest internal programme aims to drive inclusivity of Indigenous peoples across all aspects of our business.It is centred on our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, and aims to provide a unique opportunity to promote career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and ensure there is a greater representation in our own workforce as Michael Page begins our own reconciliation journey.Currently, there are a significant amount of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who are unemployed in major cities and this number greatly increases in the rural areas of the country.Our vision is to match job seekers with employers who are looking to recruit new talent into their businesses. The internal stream will be proactively promoting career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our own business and workforce, as well as supporting inclusivity via our partnerships with long-standing employers. This is in addition to supporting Supply Nation businesses.Michael Page was this week shortlisted for the Diversity and Inclusion Champion award at the Recruitment International Awards.Rani Nandan, Senior Regional HR Manager ANZ, Michael Page Australia says the leading recruitment firm is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunities in both recruitment and employment.“We have commenced tracking our diversity statistics and progress by surveying our Australian employees to assist us in the implementation of this policy,” Rani Nandan says. The collection of this information will be used to inform future employment and professional development opportunities.“As part of our business framework, we are embarking on our ‘Reflect RAP’ journey to commence in reconciliation by making consistent practical steps, both internally and in the communities in which we operate,” Rani Nandan says.“Our ‘Reflect RAP’ is our organisation’s commitment to contribute to a united Australia, which respects the history, heritage and values of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.“We’ll also look to connect with like-minded organisations as we commence our reconciliation journey.”Matthew Gribble, Regional Managing Director, PageGroup Australia and New Zealand adds: “Our ‘Reflect RAP’ seeks to use our unique position to promote career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.“We believe in supporting greater representation, as it will ultimately benefit our local communities, and driving heightened awareness in our business to achieve meaningful inclusivity as we play our part in increasing employment opportunities for Indigenous peoples.“I’m optimistic about our efforts for Michael Page’s reconciliation journey and look forward to sharing the results with you.”Michael Page is a worldwide leader in recruitment that has been operating in Australia for over 30 years. Michael Page brings together Australia’s best employers and brightest talent across a broad range of industries and job types in permanent, temporary and contract roles. The company is proud member of Pride in Diversity, the Diversity Council Australia, and the Australian Network on Disability. Michael Page sponsors The Smith Family’s Girls at the Centre program, an initiative aimed at helping Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls to stay engaged with their education, and to reach their potential at school and beyond.****END****
