Commitment to Reconciliation

At QinetiQ, we are committed to reconciliation. We believe reconciliation is best facilitated through education, action and respect. We formally commenced our reconciliation journey in 2019 with the launch of our 'Reflect' Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), followed by our 'Innovate' RAP in 2021, both of which have been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia.

Our Innovate RAP is a two-year plan that will form an effective roadmap to help us build upon our progress with action that is meaningful, sustainable and truly supportive of the community, reaffirming our commitment towards supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the communities in which we operate.

Our Reconciliation Action Plan helps enhance and inform our understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures while functioning as a framework to develop deeper engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Our work towards reconciliation is based on the three core pillars of Relationships, Respect and Opportunities.

Our RAP defines our vision for reconciliation, enabling our present and future objectives to be meaningful, sustainable and truly supportive of the community. Our RAP reaffirms our commitment towards the Australian Government’s ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy by:

• Providing employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through direct employment;
• Increasing our engagement of suppliers who employ and/or are majority-owned by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples; and
• Supporting STEM and career pathways support of First Nations peoples through outreach programs.

What is the Reconciliation Action Plan Program?

The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program is a framework for organisations to realise their vision for reconciliation. Through the program, organisations develop a business plan that documents what an organisation commits to do to contribute to reconciliation in Australia.

There are four different types of Reconciliation Action Plans which reflect the stage an organisation is at and the current goals the organisation should be trying to achieve: Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate. We acknowledge Reconciliation Australia for their insights and assistance in the development of our first and second Reconciliation Action Plans.

Our Reconciliation Journey to Date

QinetiQ’s reconciliation journey commenced in 2015, with the introduction of an updated Diversity and Inclusion Policy, emphasising our commitment, strategies and initiatives to improve diversity including workplace representation of those identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This was followed by:

• 2016: The launch of our Procurement Policy to Support Indigenous Enterprises;
• 2017: The formal establishment of a D&I Committee to implement our reconciliation commitments;
• 2018: The Managing Director’s mandate to formally commence our reconciliation journey with the creation of our first RAP;
• 2019: The subsequent publication and endorsement of our 'Reflect' Reconciliation Action Plan;
• 2020: The widescale implementation of initiatives outlined in our first RAP; and
• 2021: The development and endorsement of our 'Innovate' RAP.
• 2022: The widescale implementation and adoption of meaningful actions in accordance with our Innovate RAP.

Since 2019, the QinetiQ Reconciliation Working Group has diligently delivered against the actions set forth within our first RAP. Through our first RAP, QinetiQ has defined its vision for reconciliation, better enabling this and future plans to be meaningful, sustainable and truly supportive of the community.

Our Reflect RAP: 2019–2021

Our first RAP enabled us to define our vision for reconciliation, kickstarting our journey with a range of successful initiatives including:

• Committing to workforce and procurement diversity through our membership with Supply Nation;
• Developing mandatory Cultural Awareness training in consultation with an Indigenous Consulting Business for all new and existing QinetiQ employees;
• Launching the ‘Better Together’ program to promote diversity and inclusivity in our workplace;
• Ongoing support for awareness initiatives and activities including NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week;
• Supporting ICT workshops in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands for a TAFE SA activity through the supply of equipment;
• Attending Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Business Trade Fairs to enable a better understanding of possible opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to participate as part of QinetiQ’s supply chain;
• Increasing our efforts to maximise participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in our supply chain activities, which has seen engagement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in our Collaborative Environment and freight services panel arrangements;
• Achieving membership with Supply Nation which will help us to better identify and connect with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses that may be able to support our future supply chain needs;
• Sponsoring a range of apprenticeship, traineeship, intern and graduate positions specifically for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to provide flexible and valuable career pathways;
• Providing sponsorship and scholarship opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through initiatives including the AFL SportsReady traineeship; and
• Sponsorship of the Victorian Indigenous Engineering Winter School (VIEWS) program in association with the University of Melbourne.

Our Innovate RAP: 2021–2023

Our second RAP seeks to build upon our progress with action that is meaningful, sustainable and truly supportive of the community, reaffirming QinetiQ's commitment towards the Australian Government’s ‘Closing the Gap’ strategy by:

• Developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education and employment opportunities;
• Engaging our people with the local communities in which we operate; and
• Developing further opportunities for participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in our supply chain activities.

Our Innovate RAP outlines QinetiQ’s commitment to build on relationships formed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, to continue to implement programs for cultural learning, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and supplier diversity.

We wish to thank Reconciliation Australia for their guidance throughout this journey.

Our Forward Journey

QinetiQ is committed to ensuring our reconciliation journey continues to meaningfully engage with all of the Traditional Owners and/or Custodians in the locations we operate. Importantly we wish to ensure that these connections are honest and enduring.

We remain committed to initiatives that promote diversity and inclusivity in our workplace. We look forward to future opportunities for reconciliation and remain committed to leading through action.

For more information:

Clare Little | Chair, Reconciliation Working Group | +61 7 3031 0254 | CLLittle@QinetiQ.com.au