Endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, Reconciliation Action Plans (RAP) outline practical actions that the organisation will take to build strong relationships and enhance respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians. A RAP also sets out the organisation's aspirations to achieve greater equality.
CSIRO's latest Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2021-23 outlines the actions we will take to build stronger relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through scientific knowledge sharing, education, employment opportunities and mutually beneficial partnerships that can deliver a positive impact for the benefit of all Australians.
CSIRO's RAP builds on the significant body of work undertaken since the development and implementation of our first Indigenous Engagement Strategy in 2007 and is aligned with the CSIRO Corporate Plan 2021-22.
Our third Innovate RAP aims to build on our models of success with a key focus on embedding the following priority areas across CSIRO:
- Partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to support Indigenous-led science solutions.
- Developing a new Indigenous Engagement Strategy to ensure appropriate engagement and collaboration aligns to the rights and interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across all lines of our business.
- Developing key foundational Indigenous strategies across all of CSIRO that can support us to achieve our vision towards reconciliation. This includes protecting Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and respectfully managing the collection, interpretation and use of Indigenous data.
- Building our capability to develop, cultivate and sustain respectful relationships with Indigenous peoples.
- Positioning CSIRO as an employer of choice to attract and retain highly skilled Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across our scientific, research, technical, fieldwork and support services.
- Strengthening our governance arrangements, including tracking and reporting mechanisms.
Our RAP is championed by the CSIRO's Indigenous Engagement Implementation Committee, the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff forum and the external Indigenous Advisory Group. It has also been endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, CSIRO's Executive Team and the CSIRO Board.