Sydney Swans might win something after all, but it won’t be on the footy field. In 2009, Premiership veterans Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin launched the Goodes O’Louhglin (GO) Foundation and after going from strength to strength, they are now pertnering with Lend Lease to help young indigenous Australians focus on education and work towards their own brighter future. Lend Lease’s focus on its human capital has ensured that they incorporate a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) into their CSR policies and practices, and partnership with the GO Foundation, they are looking to solidly deliver on that commitment.

Whilst obviously supporting a worthwhile organisation in the GO Foundation, Lend Lease is realising other gains, improving its equity & diversity standards and community engagement impact. Alignment with an indigenous youth support organisation enables Lend Lease to better identify with a growing percentage of its indigenous employees, as well as further identifying with indigenous and non-indigenous stakeholders alike. Allowing the GO Foundation to assist in improving and implementing their RAP, shows the wider community that Lend Lease is serious about engaging with the community, rather than paying the highly complex issue mere lip service. Supporting youth education and engagement works towards greater indigenous economic participation, which in turn enables Lend Lease to consider all Australians equally (indigenous or otherwise) in its search to attract the best talent. Lend Lease shares its RAP commitment with other large corporates such as Qantas, Harvey Norman, KPMG, ANZ and the West Coast Eagles.

This move is a fantastic leap forward for racial equality and anti-discrimination across Lend Lease’s operations. Endorsement by two high profile Sydney Swans players allows the commercial property giant to act as a corporate role models to other organisations considering RAP’s as a tool to create value for their internal stakeholders. This also has the added benefit of shining a spotlight on the highly complex issue of Indigenous Affairs, which is often forgotten in the raft of issues that make up human capital management within the Australian CSR landscape.

CARN THE EAGLES *cough* I mean the Swans…