Our Reconciliation Action Plan

At Bunzl Safety & Lifting we believe that reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non- Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.This is the second stage as endorsed by Reconciliation Australia and underpins our foundational belief in driving meaningful change and driving cultural respect.

We have a large part to play in ensuring First Nations businesses have an equitable presence in our supply chain.

Our journey started back in 2015 and we are proud to implement the initiatives and action items within our Innovate RAP. Our RAP outlines our approach to listening, learning & evolving our work on the path to reconciliation.

Within our RAP we have outlined 5 pillars that support the Bunzl Vision for reconciliation:

• Enable an inclusive and respectful culture celebrating and appreciating the lived experiences of First Nations people & community.

• Advocating for equitable outcomes for First Nations peoples by investing in local communities.

• Actively facilitate cultural education to understand the disconnect between our cultures & recognise steps to take towards Reconciliation.

• A renewed focus on creating pathways to leadership for First Nations employees within Bunzl.

• Strengthening partnerships with First Nations people by actively engaging with locally operated & owned First Nations Businesses.

In 2022, the Australian Bunzl entities, that are grouped for reporting purposes, had a revenue value of $800 million and a combined spend with qualified First Nations entities of more than $24 million. This demonstrates that with every dollar spent with Bunzl, $0.03 cents are spent with First Nations business. If the Sleeping Giant survey still rings true today, the economic and social value is multiplied by $4.41, equating to more than $105.8 million in economic and social value.

In terms of supporting First Nations Communities and as part of the recent launch of our Innovate RAP, Bunzl provide regular funding via donation directly to the Clontarf Foundation to support the education of young First Nations men. Bunzl also actively engages with Academies to provide work experience and school-based traineeships across all areas of the Bunzl business. We currently have 2 school-based trainees employed in Mackay. In addition to this we are supporting on site school engagement activities at the Cecil Andrews Academy.

As part of its commitment to Reconciliation, Bunzl Safety & Lifting has partnered with a majority owned Indigenous workwear and safety company who are committed to sustainability and giving back to local communities. The agreement between Bunzl Safety & Lifting and Cole Workwear formalises an existing three-year relationship between the two businesses and will result in broader distribution of the iconic Boomerang™ brand of workwear, footwear and personal protective equipment.

The Australian designed Boomerang™ range has been borne out of extensive consultation with hundreds of mining companies and features high quality cuts and designs carrying the distinctive Boomerang™ logo.

As an experienced wholesaler, Cole Workwear are delighted to partner with Bunzl Safety & Lifting, a national supplier of workplace safety equipment and workwear, as it will ensure supply of Cole’s products to a much wider customer base across several industries within Australia.

Through its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Bunzl Safety raises awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and works to champion diversity and build meaningful supply chain relationships with Indigenous partners.

We are proud corporate sponsors of the Clontarf Foundation, an organisation which seeks to improve the education, discipline, self-esteem, life skills and employment prospects of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island men. Our support transcends beyond sponsorships, to also include mentorship, work experience and traineeship programs as well as supporting and participating in sporting events.

We also have partnerships with Indigenous owned organisations, such Heart2Heart and Cole Workwear. Safety is at the core of both Bunzl Safety and Heart2Heart, thus we are supporting the business with the delivery of their nationally accredited training in First Aid and Mental Health First Aid.

Cole Workwear CEO, Gordon Cole said, “we are thrilled to deepen our relationship with Bunzl Safety & Lifting as our exclusive safety product manufacturer as well as one of our distributors. Following the development of the first ever Indigenous safety range four years ago, we required a highly capable partner with true national reach like Bunzl Safety & Lifting, to realise this dream. We are excited to pave the way for other Indigenous Australians and the communities we support.”

Bunzl Safety & Lifting's Managing Director says, “working with Cole Workwear will not only assist the company to provide jobs for indigenous workers in an under-represented sector, but will aid Cole’s commitment to supporting the local Noongar community through its sport and youth development programs.

The partnership will further advance the inclusion of indigenous owned businesses as meaningful participants in Bunzl Safety & Lifting’s supply chain, and through the Government’s mandatory IPP (Indigenous Procurement Policy) will enable businesses already dealing with Bunzl Safety & Lifting, to meet IPP targets.

The IPP is a mandatory procurement-connected policy under the legislative instrument of the Commonwealth Procurement Rules and aims to ensure that Government Departments procure at least 3% of their safety equipment spend on indigenous goods and services.

“Through strategic partnerships such as this, we can strengthen links with local industry and continue to provide innovative and ethical solutions for our customers,” said Bunzl Safety & Lifting representative.