BHP has released its first Australian Indigenous Social Investment Report, detailing its work with Indigenous companies and communities across the 2023–24 financial year (FY24).
Throughout FY24, BHP spent $17.6 million on Indigenous governance, economic development and advocacy, and $4.2 million on education and training.
A total of 13,183 hours of tuition were accessed by Polly Farmer Foundation students across BHP Follow the Dream programs, while 4151 women engaged with the Ember Connect platform, a team committed to elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.
“Guided by our company purpose to bring people and resources together to build a better world, we believe we are successful when we work in partnership with communities to achieve long-term social, environmental and economic outcomes,” BHP president Australia Geraldine Slattery said.
“When it comes to Indigenous partnerships, contributing to the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities within Australia is essential to the relationships we share with communities, and in turn helps to support the sustainability of our operations.”
BHP has also developed a set of priority areas to drive institutional partnering capability into the future.
These initiatives include supporting BHP staff to build capability through cultural awareness obligations, profiling partners and supporting their advocacy efforts, and developing guiding principles that respect the rights of Indigenous peoples in relation to heritage, knowledge and cultural expressions.
“We’re guided by our vision to actively contribute and participate, supporting social investment partnerships with and for Indigenous peoples, communities and organisations in Australia that align to aspirations for positive intergenerational social, cultural, and economic wellbeing,” Slattery said.
“Purposeful and meaningful voluntary social investment to support positive outcomes for Indigenous peoples and communities is key to these ambitions and brought to life through our Australian Indigenous Social Investment Strategy.”
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