We continued advancing our progress towards reconciliation while preparing our next RAP. This included providing First Nations people with career and business opportunities, growing cultural awareness within our organisation, as well as increasing engagement with First Nations communities and organisations.

Twenty-eight Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander apprentices or trainees joined our business in early 2024 and are being supported with culturally appropriate mentoring through the Barranggirra Mentoring Program.

Additionally, five undergraduate university students were supported through our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Scholarships Program, with one past scholarship recipient joining our Graduate Program in 2024.

Four First Nations employees attended the Indigenous Leadership Summit, in November 2023 in Sydney, which focused on Indigenous employment and leadership across all business sectors.

Through partnerships with the Clontarf Foundation and Stars Foundation we continued to support opportunities for education, employment and advancement for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women.

During the year, we established a partnership with On-Country Pathways, an Indigenous owned and operated not-for-profit organisation based in Albury-Wodonga, delivering employment and career pathway programs for First Nations people aged 15 to 24.

During 2023–24, we procured $6.38 million worth of goods and services from registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander enterprises. This significant growth, compared to $1.29 million during 2022–23 and $709,000 during 2021–22, is due to increased procurement from Indigenous businesses and improved data capture to correctly identify these businesses within our pool of suppliers.

We also continued to partner with Supply Nation to identify further opportunities.

During the year, we updated the First Nations and Our Network Area map, acknowledging the 48 First Nations upon whose land Essential Energy operates. The new map shows the location of Essential Energy’s 96 depots in relation to First Nations Countries. It also includes First Nations that overlap with the network area, but do not host a depot. The previous map, published with our first RAP in 2020, acknowledged only the 29 First Nations upon whose land Essential Energy depots are located. The new map extends our understanding, supporting efforts to engage in meaningful ways with First Nations peoples.

National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week were again celebrated during the year, to grow cultural awareness amongst employees and build and strengthen relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, partners and customers.

Acknowledgements of Country continue to be included in all major meetings, significant publications and on our website.

A cultural immersion experience for the Executive Leadership Team and Board members was held on Ngemba Country (Bourke), to further cultural learning and understanding.

The Cultural Protocols Policy was updated to include Sorry Business, to guide employees who may need to engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander customers and community members during culturally sensitive times.

During the year, we established a First Nations Engagement team, to help us build meaningful relationships with First Nations communities and cultural authorities and to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by our First Nations customers. The team has led and guided engagements with Local Aboriginal Land Councils, regional assemblies and community stakeholders on topics including energy transition equity and electricity education for customers.

We also participated in the Minderoo First Nations Employment Index, a comprehensive national snapshot of First Nations workplace representation, practices and employee experiences.