Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan
We are extremely proud of the progress we have made under our Reflect and Innovate RAPs, and our broader R&E Project, towards our vision of developing a culture of friendship, trust, respect and deep partnership between our firm and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, organisations and communities. We believe raising awareness within the broader community of the challenges facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and understanding the significant, rich and diverse histories and cultures of the many groups across Australia, is a fundamental component of the reconciliation process. We have also learnt valuable lessons through a willingness to listen, change course and gain knowledge. That journey continues.
We are therefore pleased to adopt our third Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This Stretch RAP will enable us to expand our sphere of influence, embed our reconciliation activities more deeply and significantly build on the commitment that we first made in 2016 when we adopted our Reflect RAP. To ensure maximum impact, and in line with our broader social impact objectives, this RAP provides a clear framework to provide even greater access to justice and even more access to opportunities.
In developing our Stretch RAP, we have gratefully received guidance from Professor Megan Davis, Mr Dean Parkin and Reconciliation Australia. Their insights, teachings and support have inspired our R&E Project to strive for better reconciliation outcomes for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Indigenous Attraction, Employment & Retention Strategy
First Nations peoples are woefully underrepresented in the legal profession. Less than 1% of the 5,000 participants polled in a recent diversity survey across 11 of Australia’s biggest law firms identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander. We want to play a role in drawing more First Nations lawyers into our profession.
We significantly enhance our business through the different perspectives, experiences and knowledge of First Nations partners, employees, contractors and clients. First Peoples contribute to the development of cross-cultural awareness in our firm, which is vital in successfully communicating with, and learning from, our people and our clients from many diverse backgrounds.
Our employment strategy is therefore designed to sit alongside our ‘Stretch’ RAP, as well as our previous plans, to propel our vision of attracting, supporting, training, mentoring, engaging and continually learning from Indigenous peoples to ultimately increase their representation within our profession and our sector.
We are firmly committed to applying a holistic approach to our Strategy’s implementation to ensure that our goals and efforts are integrated into the fibre of all KWM’s operations.