Mental Health & Wellbeing Award
2024 | Sodexo
SodexoFit App and START (or Safe, Trusting and Respectful Teams) were designed over 12 months and launched in March and May this year respectively. SodexoFit App includes modules on psychosocial health and support services, and connects to the START program. START promotes teams where people feel included, supported, respected and psychologically safe and healthy. Since its launch, Sodexo has recorded a 29 per cent increase in reports of psychosocial hazards – showing education about what constitutes unsafe practices, is working. Sodexo is enhancing a culture where employees are empowered to call in and call out unsafe, disrespectful or antisocial behaviour. On the back of this success, the company intends to replicate Australia’s program for its diverse industries across 45 countries.
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2023 | Anglo American Steel Making Coal
Anglo American's Workplace Support Program is building capability around psychosocial hazards. Its Workplace Support Unit was established to provide trauma and culturally informed support via early intervention, prevention and recovery.
2022 | Deepcore Drilling
Deepcore Drilling undertook a research project to predict and prevent musculoskeletal injuries and optimise employee physical and mental wellbeing through the use of sports science methodology. There were zero injuries recorded during the six month project, and employees participating reported improved sleep, less fatigue, better mood and increased energy.
2021 | Compass Group Australia
Compass Group’s comprehensive approach to tackle workplace sexual harassment, with the company leaving no stone unturned to uncover the fundamental underlying cause of incidents. This enabled Compass to provide better support through a wide range of initiatives and actions to achieve sustainable cultural change. The company identified broader corrective actions and uncovered the root causes and ‘why’ that lead to incidents.
2020 | Northern Star Resources
Northern Star has been awarded for providing innovative mental health support, reducing stigma and uniting its people through a range of programs, resulting in increased workplace conversations and story-sharing. The gold miner’s range of initiatives have made a positive impact on its workplaces and employees, with the company rising to the challenge of proactively prioritising sustainable long-term outcomes. Northern Star has normalised mental health through a multi-layered approach, led by its flagship Mental Health First Aid Program, which has seen more than 300 employees becoming accredited Mental Health First Aiders.
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2019 | Compass Group Australia
Compass Group implemented a grassroots campaign encouraging employees to talk about mental health and feel comfortable in seeking assistance if facing personal challenges. A video message was compiled involving 4 employees talking about their personal battles, resulting in the ‘Got Your Back’ campaign. At the same time a peer support program was developed within the organisation. The campaign gained traction and interest across various social media platforms, which led to the #GotYourBack hashtag being emblazoned on PPE, helping a number of employees seek and receive support for mental health.
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2018 | Gold Fields Australia
Gold Fields Australia has implemented a Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilisation early intervention and wellness program, including sessions with specialist practitioners to proactively reduce health risks, early intervention in physical rehabilitation and expedite recovery and decrease non-work-related injuries transitioning to work-related injuries. The program’s success rate with improved health outcomes impressed judges.
2017 | McDermott Australia
McDermott Australia implemented the ‘FIFOcus Offshore Wellness’ Program to cater for the unique needs of its workers aboard two construction vessels servicing the INPEX-operated Ichthys LNG Project, offshore north-western Australia. This is an innovative program based on four pillars, Mental Health, Emotional Stability, Social Engagement and Physical Wellbeing, designed specifically to cater to the needs of our workforce offshore and delivered in their workplace. Championed by the offshore medic, the program includes regular visitors to the vessels to delivered presentations, quiz nights, exercise/relaxation, meditation classes, nutrition and health and wellbeing information packages, fitness competitions, flu vaccinations and a variety of other services all tailored at the key areas that the offshore workforce deemed most relevant. Read more about McDermott Australia’s health and wellness initiative here.
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2016 | New Hope Group
To change the health culture, New Acland developed the ‘Live Well, Work Well’ program to help employees take ownership of their own health and wellness. The success of the program was built around management support, a health and wellness committee, and the use of local allied health professionals. Practical aspects included monthly tool box presentations, in-cabin and at-crib coaching, supervisor training, weekly communication tools, and biannual employee health challenges. The outcome has been an empowered workforce with almost 80% making positive changes to their health, which will lead to reducing risk indicators for chronic disease. Read more about New Hope Group’s health and wellness initiative here.
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2015 | Sodexo Australia (Workforce Innovation Award)
Specialists in facilities management, Sodexo is bringing mental health and wellbeing to front of mind by building awareness and promoting open discussion among the workforce through its ‘I Hear You’ campaign. Employees learn the skills to identify signs of personal crisis in friends, family and colleagues, and can help to facilitate meaningful support for those in need. Find out more about Sodexo’s ‘I Hear You’ campaign here and here.
Workforce & Workplace Relations Innovation Award
2024 | Chevron
Chevron Australia’s new headquarters One The Esplanade (or 1TE) sets a new global standard for people-focused workplace design.
Among the innovative features are:
• A creche, an accredited parent’s room and a school holiday program to help remove barriers to workforce participation;
• A multi-faith room for all religions and beliefs that includes accessible ritual washing facilities;
• Quiet areas with minimal distraction to allow focus; and
• Guidance from Noongar leaders and Elders on cultural recognition initiatives.
With more than 1500 occupants, Perth’s One The Esplanade is truly a workplace for now and the future.
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2023 | Sodexo Australia
In a brilliant initiative, Sodexo partnered with North Metropolitan TAFE to develop the “Art of Food” (AoF), an industry-first hybrid commercial cookery apprenticeship program to address a critical skills and experience shortage.
2022 | CMOC-Northparkes Mines
The Human Resources, Mining Leadership and Surface Leadership Teams at CMOC-Northparkes Mines implemented an initiative that ensured 100% workforce continuity following the early completion of a development activity that would usually result in the displacement of skilled workers until the next development. The initiative, which involved re-deploying and where necessary re-training the employees as production and process technicians for a period, led to minimal retrenchment costs and unnecessary skill loss through the retention of long-term knowledgeable resources.
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2021 | Newmont Australia
Newmont was awarded for its decisive and safety-focused handling of the detection of a COVID-19 positive employee at its Granites Gold Mine in the Northern Territory’s Tanami Desert. The wide-ranging actions highlighted Newmont’s stringent planning and preparation, with the company’s approach focusing on the welfare and safety of all employees and contractors affected by the decision, while also factoring in the mental health and financial repercussions. The employee response for operational ramp-up was positive and willing – with the mine able to return to full operations much more quickly than anticipated due to the employee support.
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2020 | New Hope Group
New Hope Group has been recognised for its “Finishing Well” program, which has innovated the way mine closures are managed. When the company was presented with one of the industry’s most challenging periods as its Jeebropilly Mine reached end of life in late 2019, New Hope Group was determined to ensure it was a positive phase for all stakeholders. The company implemented a plan that would not only be embraced by its workforce, but set them on the path for success once the mine closed. Its unified path towards mine closure was guided by “Finishing Well”, tailored specifically to balance the needs of the business and its people, while addressing some of the greatest identified risks in staff retention and culture.
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2019 | Fortescue Metals Group
Fortescue identified an opportunity to offer employment to highly skilled and professional veterans to address the company’s shortage in sourcing skilled heavy diesel fitters. The company developed the Rapid Trades Upskilling Program – a four week course to build on the veterans’ experience, qualifying successful participants with relevant work licences. Since the launch of the program, 82 veterans have commenced work with Fortescue as heavy diesel mechanics, increasing productivity at a retention rate of 99%. A number of veterans have also transitioned into leadership positions after a short period.
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2018 | NPJV – Njamal Services & Pilbara Resource Group
The Indigenous Employment and Retention Award recognises an organisation that has implemented a training and/or employment initiative resulting in the successful engagement of Indigenous Australians within their workforces. Perth-based NPJV launched in November 2016 with only three employees and an ambitious plan to introduce a new concept in Native Title contracting. The company now employs over 60 people with 50 per cent being Njamal People and it competes for and wins work based on its professional business model and outstanding track record. In 18 months the company secured more than $15 million in contracts, with 75 per cent employee retention rate.
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2017 | Heathgate Resources
Heathgate received the award for its dynamic education program which gives Adnyamathanha school students the skills, opportunities, belief and confidence to finish school. The program is designed to also give the students a greater understanding of the resources industry and provide them with an opportunity to work on their land while gaining skills for the future.
2016 | Fortescue Metals Group
Fortescue received the award for its ‘Trade Up’ program. Fortescue developed the Trade Up program in an effort to increase the proportion of Aboriginal tradespeople employed companywide from 6% in 2015 to 20% by 2022. Developed within just four months, the program has provided Aboriginal employees a pathway to an apprenticeship since October 2015. Although still in its first year, the program has quickly gained traction. Of the initial 26 trainees, at least 10 have already competed their traineeship and are moving into the apprenticeship program.
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2015 | Farstad Shipping
The Indigenous people of Broome and the Dampier Peninsula have an affinity with the sea and have serviced the local pearling industry for many years. But when the industry experienced a downturn, the emergence of the oil and gas sector offered new opportunities. Farstad’s partnership with Woodside and Shell has seen them engage with these communities with a view to providing meaningful employment for local Indigenous people. The process included an exhaustive candidate testing regime and significant engagement with Indigenous communities and family members. While small in scale, the results speak for themselves, 70% of trainees remain employed and over 80% have completed their traineeship.
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2014 | Offshore Marine Services Alliance
Following the success of its pilot Indigenous Training and Employment program in 2011, OMSA wanted to up-the-ante in supporting Indigenous jobseekers to gain employment within the maritime industry and associated sectors. Evaluation of its pilot program led OMSA to make significant improvements in 2013. These included:
– accessing more mentors from within the organisation and local community;
– building greater cultural awareness among employees;
– developing a senior Indigenous seafarer’s leadership group; and
– ensuring a more streamlined pre-employment to traineeship transition process.
Harry Thorne also came on board as Indigenous Business Manager and key mentor to program participants. These improvements led to all 13 trainees graduating from a 6-week program, gaining qualifications in transport and distribution, and entering employment.
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2013 | Oz Minerals
OZ Minerals owns and operates the Prominent Hill copper-gold mine and is developing the Carrapateena advanced exploration project, both located in South Australia. The company has a deliberate strategy to target local people for employment. Its ‘Pre-Employment Training Program’ provides an opportunity for local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to gain work experience, nationally recognised qualifications, and guaranteed employment at the Prominent Hill operation. A range services support OZ Minerals’ Aboriginal employees, including a language, literacy and numeracy program and dedicated mentoring roles. Since its commencement in 2006, the program has enabled 68 local people without industry experience gain employment with OZ Minerals. Around 70% of the graduates are Aboriginal.
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2012 | Offshore Marine Services
Offshore Marine Services initiative made a significant impact on both the local Indigenous community, as well as having delivered a long-term sustainable solution around Indigenous Employment. Since commencing its commitment to Indigenous employment and training, OMSA, and OMS have employed 52 Indigenous employees of which 46 remain. Employment ranges from Management level, HR Officers, General Deck Hands, Stewards, Stevedores, Trainee Integrated Ratings on a pathway to becoming fully qualified Integrated Ratings.
2011 | Oz Minerals Oz Minerals demonstrated to the judging panel an initiative which has made a significant impact on both the local Indigenous community, as well as delivered a long-term sustainable solution for the future the winner of the 2011 Indigenous Employment and Training Award is Oz Minerals.
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Oz Minerals demonstrated to the judging panel an initiative which has made a significant impact on both the local Indigenous community, as well as delivered a long-term sustainable solution for the future the winner of the 2011 Indigenous Employment and Training Award is Oz Minerals.
Diversity & Inclusion Award
The 2024 Diversity & Inclusion Award
is proudly sponsored by Sodexo
2024 | THIESS
Across 33 projects and offices in Australia, the Thiess Group employs 552 Indigenous people, representing 7 per cent of its workforce. In 2023, site-based “Yarning Circles” were held at various projects, which informed the agenda and approach for an inaugural national Indigenous Employee Conference in Meeanjin (Brisbane) in May 2024. The highly-successful conference identified key priorities and actions including improved cultural safety and establishing a formal Indigenous mentoring program.
2023 | Viva Energy
Viva Energy Australia has worked tirelessly to remove barriers and encourage women to consider a career in aviation and refuelling, increasing the company’s female refuellers from 2 per cent to 14 per cent in three years.
2022 | Viva Energy
Viva Energy set about increasing women’s representation in frontline, shift-based operator roles through a new approach to recruiting that responded to two common assumptions: that the roles needed to be performed on a full-time and a 24/7 shift roster and required a trade qualification. After tackling those assumptions as part of a recruitment campaign targeting women, since 2018 Viva Energy has been able to increase the female proportion of operators from 9% to 26%.
2021 | Sodexo
Sodexo was recognised for its commitment to refugee employment, which focuses on overcoming the significant employment obstacles faced by refugees. As part of Sodexo’s global commitment to hire 2,000 refugees by 2025, Sodexo Australia successfully engaged with TAFE to deliver a flagship training course which would transition refugees into its workforce, with all participants hired into permanent, full-time employment. An additional three clients have expressed an interest in implementing the program on their sites, enabling a further 50 refugees to be trained, gain experience and have access to potential employment outcomes. To date, Sodexo has employed more than 40 refugees across the Australian organisation.
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2020 | Thiess
Thiess was awarded for developing Allies, the company’s first LGBTIQA+ support and engagement network in Australia and Chile. Allies created a workplace network advocating and facilitating a culture of inclusion and respect, regardless of sex, sexuality, gender and expression. Judges were impressed with how the network was successful in creating awareness and its understanding of diversity and inclusion matters, and for challenging bias, stereotypes and intolerance. Allies was created to align with Thiess’ diversity and inclusion strategy, with judges also commending how the program was both employee-led and backed by the executive leadership.
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2019 | Fortescue Metals Group
Judges were impressed with the success of Fortescue’s Vocational Training & Employment Centre, which has gone from strength-to-strength, which has assisted in Aboriginal people now making up 13 per cent of the company’s Australian workforce. The program is delivering an ongoing employment pipeline for Aboriginal people, focussing on breaking down barriers to entering the workforce and achieving their career goals. The revolutionary program has grown from an office in South Headland to a national network supported by government, and for many participants, changed lives through employment.
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2018 | St Barbara
The Australian Women in Resources Alliance Award recognises an organisation that has developed innovative or highly effective strategies to increase women’s participation in the resource industry workforce which has directly enhanced the success of the organisation. St Barbara developed a diversity strategy that incorporated key objectives relating to gender composition, pay equity, return to work, data analysis, reporting and attraction. St Barbara has been honoured to receive the Workplace Gender Equality Agency Employer of Choice citation each year from 2014 to 2018 and is currently the only mining company in Australia to be awarded this recognition. Among a number of successes in gender diversity, St Barbara has increased the number of women in its overall workforce to 24% in 2018, and women in its corporate offices increased from 34% in 2010 to 48% in 2018.
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2017 | Fortescue Metals Group
Fortescue Metals Group won the prestigious AWRA – Australian Women in Resources Alliance Award for its diversity initiatives which signal a positive step in addressing the inequality for women in the resources and energy sector workplaces. The award reflects Fortescue’s focus on providing practical solutions to ensure women can grow professionally and have the support and flexibility to have a career and family. The company is making a real difference by creating a welcoming, supportive and encouraging environment for women.
2016 | ARTC
As part of an organisational transformation program, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) aimed to improve a female workforce participation rate that had stagnated at 17% in 2015. As part of this strategy, the company gained permission from the New South Wales Anti-Discrimination Board to allocate 14 entry level positions to females. Whereas past recruitment efforts had failed to attract female candidates, a new comprehensive recruitment campaign involving print, online media and social media led to 200 women attending an information session and over 900 job applications. In just over a year, the ARTC has increased female workforce participation to 19%. Furthermore, women’s participation in non-traditional roles based in the Hunter Valley have increased from just over 1% to almost 10%. The company’s culture now also supports diversity, with the introduction of unconscious bias training, female uniforms and flexible work options. The ARTC is now working towards 25% female participation by 2019.
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2015 | Joint winner: SMIT Lamnalco
Operating in the male-dominated offshore oil and gas sector, Smit Lamnalco was awarded for prioritising gender diversity, particularly in management positions where female participation has increased from zero to 40%.
2015 | Joint winner: Santos
Santos is addressing the gender superannuation gap with the launch of its ‘Superannuation Top Up’ initiative, with female employees receiving employer-paid superannuation while on unpaid parental leave and gain access to valuable financial planning information.
2014 | Thiess
The Australian Women in Resources Alliance Award, celebrating proactive initiatives to improve gender diversity in the resource industry, was awarded to Thiess for its Women in Mining Strategy. Acknowledging the efforts of the Thiess People and Capability team in successful delivery of diversity programs, driving a culture of inclusive excellence at Thiess.
South Australian copper-gold miner OZ Minerals took out the 2013 AWRA Award, with the judging panel recognising OZ Minerals’ initiatives to achieve 25% female participation at all levels in the organisation. OZ Minerals ensures diversity is directly measured as part of overall company performance and provides strategic training and development opportunities to enable women to achieve their career aspirations.
Industry Future Leader Award
The 2024 Industry Future Leader Award
is proudly sponsored by Northern Star Resources
2024 | Callan Hunt (Newmont Australia)
In recent years, Callan has driven Newmont Cadia’s Indigenous Buddy Program to new heights. The program pairs Indigenous buddies on site with Indigenous employees or contractors who are new to mining or to the Cadia gold mine in NSW. Under Callan’s stewardship, the resurgent program has significantly boosted the workplace experience of Cadia’s Indigenous employees, setting a new standard for inclusivity and support in the mining industry. Through his dedication and values-based approach, there are more people involved with the program, deepening and broadening the impact of its professional, social and cultural outreach across all employees. Callan is a shining example of how one person’s commitment can make a real difference.
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2023 | Jessica Farchione (Viva Energy Australia)
Jessica Farchione from Viva Energy Australia led a number of innovative workforce programs at the Geelong Refinery, and became the first female and youngest shift manager in the refinery’s history.
2022 | Michael Place (Gold Fields)
Gold Fields Mining Manager Michael Place is a champion of values-based leadership at Granny Smith Mine, combining personal empathy with technical excellence. He has strongly contributed towards the mine’s cultural transformation, especially in the areas of safety and diversity, while also advancing the underground mining operation by trialling and implementing new technology with measurable success.
2021 | Byron Davis (Ventia)
Byron is playing a leading role in improving outcomes for fellow Indigenous Australians through his part in Ventia’s Indigenous Employment team. Through his very personal, non-traditional recruitment approach, Byron has ensured closer relationships with key stakeholders and contributed to increasing Ventia’s Indigenous employment to 10%. By sharing not only his own stories, but also that of his network, Byron is building on relationships that will move the dial when it comes to Indigenous Australian engagement with non-Indigenous people.
2020 | Ryan Cobb (Woodside Energy)
Ryan’s range of accomplishments, displaying leadership traits beyond his years. Not only has Ryan become Australia’s first indigenous master mariner, he is also a passionate role model and mentor who is heavily involved in working with young Indigenous people, encouraging them to strive for a career in the marine industry. As a Marine Operations Adviser with Woodside Energy, Ryan can command any ship of any size in any ocean in the world. He now uses his experience and journey to inspire others to explore the rewarding career opportunities in the sector.
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2019 | Fiona Forsyth (New Hope Group)
Fiona excelled in a challenging role since being seconded to Bengalla Mine as Integration Services Advisor, following New Hope Group’s majority shareholder acquisition. She has been a key part of integration at the site, building positive relationships and working with managers and operational teams to review and plan for a smooth transition. Fiona’s approach resulted in an overall cost reduction, and productivity improvements, as well as increased social interactions between employees and the forming of positive new relationships. The judges were particularly impressed with Fiona’s ability to use a variety of techniques to increase engagement and influence behaviours.
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2018 | Shelby Bailey (Atlas Professionals)
This Award recognises an individual who, in a short period of time, has had a positive and noticeable impact on workforce-related processes or practices within their organisation. Shelby Bailey is an Industrial Relations Advisor with Atlas Professionals. Working within a complex industrial relations environment, Shelby has been outstanding in the areas of enterprise bargaining, redundancy processes, unfair dismissal applications, Modern Award application, grievance and discipline actions. The judges were particularly impressed with Shelby’s successful stakeholder engagement and management for her organisation’s current enterprise agreement negotiations, in particular interest-based bargaining in the Fair Work Commission. Shelby has developed and driven IR strategies, using her own knowledge, experience and research talents, creating cost savings for the company. She has only been with Atlas Professionals for a short period of time but has already had a positive impact on its people processes and practices.
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2017 | Hannah Campbell (Incitec Pivot)
Hannah’s leadership in her role as Moranbah Operations Readiness Coordinator where she has led the planning and execution of plant shutdown and decommissioning. Her phenomenal capacity to lead the largest turnaround executed in Incitec Pivot’s Australian manufacturing history with 94,000 man hours is extraordinary. Hannah’s work has provided a legacy for both the site and the IPL Turnaround Management System (TMS). She took the best of TMS and integrated it into site maintenance outages and daily operations. She expanded the TMS operations function to include the best practice processes developed during the turnaround and mentored the lead from the next IPL turnaround to get on-the-job experience.
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2016 | Annie Martyn (Viva Energy)
As an Asset Engineer at the Geelong Refinery, Annie created a process to develop scope for a major refinery turnaround in 2015. Annie led this extremely complex project which included widespread consultation and setting delivery targets for a large part of the workforce. Her transparent and well-documented solution was quickly supported by management and her approach was praised by an independent assessing organisation as “best practice”. The judging panel was extremely impressed that with hundreds of staff involved in the turnaround, there were zero recordable safety incidents, while all cost and schedule targets were met. Annie achieved this while continuing to meet her day-to-day Asset Engineer responsibilities. This is an impressive achievement for someone who at the time had less than 2 years’ experience at the Geelong refinery and less than 6 years in the industry.
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2015 | Veena Mendez (Chevron Australia)
Identifying a lack of forums through which the oil and gas sector could discuss diversity challenges, Veena founded the Women in Oil and Gas Forum in 2013. Today it comprises more than 1,250 members. Its scope has grown to encompass monthly events, a website that facilitates the sharing of personal career journeys and engagement with both universities and schools. The judging panel credits Veena’s personal commitment to establish, sustain and grow this important network. Especially while she performs her busy duties as Chevron Australia’s highly regarded Category Team Leader.
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2014 | Kristen Lukas (Chevron Australia)
While on an accelerated learning secondment to the Managing Contractors IR team for Chevron’s Gorgon Project, Kristen developed a tool that greatly enhanced project management. After identifying the need for a major industrial relations reporting mechanism, Kristen undertook stakeholder engagement, technology research, design and testing to develop a tool that is now used to regularly report key IR data to Chevron’s managing director and executives. Now rolled out across other Chevron projects – including Wheatstone LNG – the tool is utilised to track IR performance and identify potential risks such as the expiry of upcoming agreements and excessive right-of-entry visits.
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2012 | Sarah Wilkinson (Newcrest Mining Limited)
Sarah displayed a level of initiative which exceeded the objectives of their employer and delivered long-term sustainable solutions. AMMA’s “Young Professional” award seeks to recognise an individual who has made a noticeable impact on the human resources, industrial relations and workforce management processes or practices within their organisation.
2011 | Daniel Sweetman (Offshore Marine Services)
Daniel commenced work with OMS in 2007 at the age of 17 as a Crewing Officer. Throughout his time with OMS, and whilst undertaking full-time university studies, Daniel has been exposed to various facets of the Company, including Crewing, Operations and Business Development. Daniel found his niche as OMS’ IR Officer and continues to develop and gain more experience within this position.
Contractor Workforce Excellence Award
2019 | Pilbara Resource Group
Pilbara Resource Group has developed a range of strategies and a positive employment engagement model to deliver a high performance, safety-focussed workforce. Working on some of Australia’s most remote project sites, the company looked outside the box on communication, upskilling and training. This included replacing standard HR practices with initiatives that resonated with Aboriginal workers, securing a 75% retention rate.
2018 | Sodexo
Sodexo used innovative technology to transform the way the company undertook mental health training in the form of Gamified Micro-learning. In addressing the challenge to create tailored mental health training, Sodexo produced and deployed an 8-week ‘I Hear You’ Gamified Micro-learning curriculum to 130 people managers. Micro-learning provides information in short, focused bursts, using spaced repetition, with Gamification working by enticing the learner to complete repeat lessons, for better engagement and retention. Judges were impressed by the high completion rate and the fact it was used via a smart device, meaning busy site-based managers did not have a barrier to complete the training in their schedules.
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2016 | Compass Group Australia
Compass Group, through its dedicated Offshore and Remote sector brand ESS, is a major provider of food services and facilities management within the resources sector. To enhance resident experience and service delivery across its villages, Compass Group saw an opportunity to challenge the traditional perception of mine site “camp” accommodation. Through a research partnership with Edith Cowan University along with site-based surveys, interviews and focus groups, the “Village Life” initiative was formed. The Village Life concept balances innovation with operational efficiency. Compass Group uses smart design to create a shared sense of community and foster a safer, more productive and engaged workforce. The initiative has been integrated across a selection of sites in Western Australia and Queensland, delivering a marked improvement rating in the resident experience. Each environment emulates the familiar aspects of home – healthy meals, exercise and social activities – and directly supports Compass Group clients’ primary goals of employee safety and retention.
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Sodexo’s “I Hear You” Program was developed to instigate conversations around mental health in the workplace. With the tagline – “Know you can be heard; believe you will be listened to”, the ‘I Hear You’ program is raising awareness, offering meaningful support, and providing employees with the skills to identify the signs of personal crisis in friends, family and colleagues.
Innovation in Training & Development Award
2018 | Quadrant Energy
Operating in the oil and gas industry, with remote site operations, Quadrant identified that real life training in emergency management was difficult to conduct. This year Quadrant identified an opportunity to address the challenge of giving offshore workers real life emergency experience. By expanding their annual training, the company included an enhanced incident response component, with a full day of training that simulates extreme environments and focusing on multiple casualty scenarios. Judges were impressed by how the newly-formed Annual Medical Workshops surpassed all expectations and learning objectives, with feedback from all attendees praising the curriculum, training methodology and specific skill capability development.
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2017 | Morris Corporation
Morris Corporation’s 3Bs of ‘Be Friendly, Be Connected and Be Real’ program was designed to enhance the company’s customer service model. The judges view this as a great example of a company transitioning to utilise a local workforce, delivering benefits for both the company and the local community.
2016 | Mancala Group
After winning a 3-year underground mine development and production contract in Vietnam, the Mancala Group developed an approach to training that would ensure the local Vietnamese workforce performed to Australian standards and recorded no lost-time injuries. The company improved effectiveness of training via new and creative tools and techniques, including visual scenarios and sport analogies to traverse the language barrier. As a result, all training goals have been met with no lost time injuries. Furthermore, operating performance consistently exceeded budget targets, earning the Mancala Group a contract extension.
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2013 | Perilya Broken Hill
Perilya Broken Hill successfully implemented a training strategy for its re-sized workforce to develop new skills and cover a wider span of duties, while increasing productivity and improving safety rates. The strategy drove an increase in employees undergoing structured competency based training and gaining a qualification. As a result, Perliya also experienced a positive change in safety culture, which is reflected in an 89% fall in injury rates. This has been sustained for the last three years. The impact on productivity is equally positive, with a 65% increase from 2008 to 2012.
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