Mining the seam – how Diggers and Dealers should be a hunting ground for NFP investment

Mining the seam – how Diggers and Dealers should be a hunting ground for NFP investment

As the resources sector packs up their collective kit bag and heads to Kalgoorlie for 2022’s Diggers and Dealers on August 1, canny Not for Profits will be hopeful that some of the riches of Australia’s mining and exploration companies will flow their way. However, it’s not easy pickings; NFPs need to demonstrate more than a slick story that pulls at the heartstrings. There needs to be an obvious synergy between objectives, the chance to nurture and grow relationships and offer something back to the big businesses who share their big dollars with a chosen cause.

Opposites attract

Some NFPs have nurtured particularly close relationships with the mining sector and continue to work together in synergy with – on the face of it – unrelated aims and ambitions. However, scratch the surface a little and you’ll find unexpected opportunities for NFPs to offer real benefit to resources organisations – and vice versa.

Lifeline WA has a strong history of working with the mining sector and over the last two years has been working in partnership with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to develop the Resourceful Mind program.

“That collaboration, in addition to the sexual harassment discrimination training, is part of our ongoing commitment to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of employees in the workplace and was developed specifically for the resources sector,” said Lorna MacGregor, CEO of Lifeline WA.

As a leader in the corporate partnership space, Lifeline WA is often present at events which present opportunities to engage with resources companies which have a high interest in the mental health and wellbeing of their workforce.

“We know that promoting positive mental health among the resource sector workforce is imperative to the health of the sector as a whole,” said Ms MacGregor.

“Through the synergy of these partnerships, we can seek to promote options for staff and their extended communities to get help, or further their support of Lifeline WA.”

Foodbank WA recognises that the mining sector shares a similar desire to achieve an ESG certification or similar standards, but may demand stringent evidence of an NFP’s corporate governance rigour.

“There is a concern about mining companies so-called green washing or social washing, and so there is a shift in the level of expectations they have onto their NFP partners,” said Foodbank WA CEO, Kate O’Hara.

“This means NFPs that want to be able to establish sustainable relationships with the mining sector need to be able to demonstrate and account for their impact in the community and the environment.

Ms O’ Hara said that ESG was a big part of the Diggers & Dealers conversations last year and she and the team were expecting it to increase in this year’s program further.

“At Foodbank WA, we have partners that are undertaking a certification process. ASX-listed companies in this space have to take steps in this direction, and in the economic and political climate we are in, we expect this to accelerate.”

Fuelling close relationships

Other NFPs are geographically well-placed to leverage support from the resources sector, like East Perth-headquartered homelessness services provider St Bart's. The NFP has benefited from the support and generosity of WA’s mining, resources and broader business community throughout its nearly 60-year history.

For the past four years, BHP has partnered with St Bart's to deliver their Reconnecting Lives Program. The program provides wraparound outreach support services to St Bart's consumers moving out of their transitional and supported accommodation and into secure, sustainable housing in the community using a person-centred, housing-led approach.

Wraparound support available to program participants includes tenancy support, social support, goal planning, NDIS package application and implementation, referrals to relevant health and support services and assistance to access training and vocational upskilling.

The level of support provided by St Bart's staff is tailored based on the needs of each program participant. This flexible and dynamic approach ensures St Bart's can provide a rapid response to crises and intervene early and before a program participant’s situation deteriorates to the point where they are at risk of regressing back into homelessness.  

As at 30 June 2022, more than 280 St Bart's consumers have benefited from the BHP-funded program since its 2018 pilot. 

St Bart's is actively seeking a new Reconnecting Lives Program partner to further support this valuable and highly sought-after service, said St Bart's General Manager Strategic Partnerships and Growth Neil Starkie. He thanked BHP for their long-standing support of St Bart's and the Reconnecting Lives Program over the past four years and encouraged organisations interested in partnering with St Bart's to continue to deliver the Reconnecting Lives Program to make contact.

“BHP’s valuable funding support has enabled St Bart's to deliver this life changing program for our service consumers who have needed outreach support to help them sustain their tenancies in the community and not regress back into homelessness,” Mr Starkie said.

“The program has empowered people who have cycled in and out of homelessness over many years to break the cycle. Outcomes have been excellent.”

Mr Starkie said St Bart's had been fortunate to receive support from a range of WA businesses, particularly those on and around the Terrace, who were genuinely committed to supporting St Bart's cause and people in Perth who find themselves without a home.

“Many of these businesses and their leaders see people experiencing street homelessness on their way to work and on their office doorstep each morning. It’s tragic,” he said.

“For many of the business leaders we speak to, there is a real desire to support St Bart's – either through financial or goods donations or corporate volunteering – so we can enhance our service provision to some of Perth’s most vulnerable people.

“Since we launched our Homelessness Hits Harder in Winter Appeal in May, we have also been delighted to receive donations from businesses and individuals who are first time donors to St Bart's. These new avenues of support go a long way in helping us provide our person-centred support to those accessing our services.

“With the cost of living going up, coupled with rising rents, interest rates and inflation and the almost impossibly tight private rental market, there are real opportunities presenting right now for corporate Perth to partner with St Bart's and other human services NFPs who are experiencing a growing demand for their services.”

Many of the services Anglicare WA delivers operate in the source towns and areas where mining and resource companies operate, which means they are supporting their people and their communities.

“At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were funded by Alcoa Foundation to deliver unique services ranging from parenting support and financial and mental health counselling from Kwinana to the Peel region and part of the South-West,” said Mark Glasson, CEO of Anglicare WA.

“Over 13 months, this partnership supported more than 1,000 people, many of whom weren’t Alcoa employees but lived in the communities where Alcoa worked and had been impacted by the pandemic. We delivered the services in partnership with local groups already working in those areas while keeping Alcoa’s local representatives looped in.”

Pulling together

At Ronald McDonald House Charities Western Australia (RMHCWA), the mantra ‘stronger together’ is at the heart of all their partnerships with big business.

Joanne McDonald, Company Secretary & Head of Corporate Affairs, IGO with Peter King ASM, Chief Executive Officer, RMHC WA at IGO’s Nova site 

“Together, RMHC WA and its partners provide an essential service for Western Australian families from communities across the vast expanse of our state,” said Peter King ASM, CEO RMHCWA.

“We are humbled by the continued support of our partners, as they are the backbone to our purpose, ensuring that RMHC WA can maintain exceptional standards of care across the Nedlands and Perth Children Hospital Houses, Family Rooms and Family Retreats; as well as our education and well-being programs.

“Our partnerships provide a direct alignment to cause, with a strong and credible charity brand, purposeful staff engagement and a connection to their areas of operation.”

Chris Ellison, CEO of Mineral Resources, has been a long-time supporter of RMHCWA and

the important work they do for the sick kids of Western Australia since 2018.

“Our support has seen us fund two full-time chefs for the Home for Dinner program, which provides 50,000 home cooked meals every year for families staying within the house,” said Mr Ellison.

“We are also proud to sponsor room 213, which has allowed seriously ill children and their families to be close to medical services and care at Perth Children Hospital. Being a long-term partner ensures that children, families and staff are supported and looked after during their stay, whether it be for one night or one year.

“Family is at the heart of everything we do at MinRes and supporting families around WA through this longstanding partnership is just one way we like to give back and support the communities in which we operate.”

This sweet spot of synergy between big business and the goals of an NFP is also evident when individuals feel particularly engaged about a cause or mission.

St Patrick’s Community Support Centre (St Pat’s) benefits from its good relationships with the Fremantle community, forged over half a century.

“Being a place-based organisation means we are actively engaged with local businesses as well as community groups and non-government organisations, so we’ve been able to build strong ties of trust and prove our capacity and capability as an organisation during times of crisis, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CEO of St Pats, Michael Piu.

“This is evidenced by the success of our Fremantle Long Table Dinner, which we run with our partners the National Hotel Freo and has become a premier celebration of local businesses and the arts in Fremantle as well as a key fundraiser for our services.

“Our reputation as collaborative, innovative problem-solvers has also helped us connect us with likeminded partners and businesses who value those qualities. We’re always looking for new, evidence-based solutions and are not afraid of asking difficult questions or trying something different.”

Anglicare WA has also found that big businesses are looking for responsive partners – charitable organisations, with executive and staff who do what they say they’ll do, and when they say they’ll do it.

“We know this because we recently received feedback from a significant corporation who said ‘Anglicare WA’s stewardship of corporate partnerships is exemplary,”said Mr Glasson.

“Transparency and timely reporting are essential; our partners receive more than just numbers. Through our results-based accountability framework, we help our partners understand what our services do and how they are making a positive impact.”

It’s important for NFPs to provide anecdotal stories, stats and images that their partners can also share internally, added Mr Glasson. Trust is also important – that intangible trait which is so easily lost.

“Our partners trust us, seek our advice on issues in their community and how to tackle them,” said Mr Glasson.

“With our long-standing relationships, the connections go beyond the decision-makers at the top, and the whole team are involved in some way. Staff become engaged and will donate or volunteer on a personal level. This can also be through providing their skilled expertise, in-kind gifting or team-building.”

Connect and consolidate

RSPCA WA finds successful business partnerships are created when connections are made with the whole organisation.

Gosia Paton, RSPCA WA’s Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager, said it’s when staff at all levels feel like they’re making a difference to the welfare of animals that the relationship thrives.

“We are an iconic animal welfare brand, and one which people instantly relate to making the world a better place for voiceless, vulnerable animals,” said Ms Paton.

“By introducing peer-to-peer fundraising activities, workplace giving, community engagement events, as well as volunteering opportunities, we find our business partnerships are more robust and have greater longevity.

“At RSPCA WA we look for ways to connect the employees of our corporate partners with our mission and develop their understanding of our day-to-day activities and the funding struggles we face.”

Synergy of mission can be a springboard for partnerships. For more than a decade, the Petbarn Foundation and the RSPCA have worked together to rehome animals through Petbarn Adoption Centres. Expanding their adoption footprint exposes needy animals to more prospective adopters and allows the RSPCA to share its animal welfare messaging with a wider audience.

However, obvious match-ups are not a pre-requisite to successful business partnerships, Ms Paton believes.

“In May, our Welshpool warehouse workers reported hearing distressed kitten cries. An RSPCA WA inspector determined the kitten was stuck in a drain and she realised specialised help would be needed to save it. The inspector called six plumbing companies before Tunnel Vision agreed, without hesitation, to offer their workforce, time and specialist equipment to help with what ended up being a six-hour marathon rescue.”

As a result, Tunnel Vision received extensive, positive traditional and social media exposure. a bonus for the kind-hearted company which offered to help for the sake of the kitten rather than good PR.

From that encounter the relationship has grown, and Tunnel Vision is now a sponsor of the upcoming RSPCA WA Animal Welfare Awards.

Ms Paton said that this was a great example of something RSPCA WA has known for a long time.

“In our experience, businesses big and small look for more than cause alignment when they consider their community partnership strategies,” she said.

Lifeline WA believes the reason why big businesses choose a partner can vary – beyond looking to create an impact in the community and value for their employees and stakeholders.

“Often, when businesses engage with an NFP, it’s to engage with the workforce or their broader communities, promote their brand through community social responsibility or as part of an internal wellbeing strategy,” said Ms MacGregor.

“While the reasons for engaging do vary, a good relationship has the synergy between what we can provide and what they need. We are very mindful of working with our partners in order to achieve their objectives.

“We know they want to feel inspired; they want to get involved, they want to hear stories and they want to see the impact that they are making by seeing the cause in action.

“We love introducing partners to our Crisis Supporters, who are at the heart and frontline of our organisation.”

For AWESOME Arts, the team looks for shared values and mutual objectives, said CEO Jenny Simpson.

“These two components are essential and enable honest conversations to take place. Over the past two years during the pandemic, we’ve needed to make lots of ongoing changes to our program delivery and being able to navigate these changes with our partners has been relatively easy due to the mutual trust that exists between us.

“By working together, we were able to deliver 100% of our partnership KPIs for the 24-month period of 2020-21.”

Keeping it real

Kate O’ Hara says that Foodbank WA often share that they value how the organisation partners because they link up at various levels of their organisation – not just the top tier.

“We are fortunate enough to be able to offer partners a few ways to engage with us, based on the concepts of time, treasure and talent. TIME: this is all about volunteering and having a way in which the staff within their organisations can assist us in what we do. It’s also expressed by putting the hours in by packing hampers and bundles or by assisting in the shop or in the community kitchen.

“TREASURE: this is all about financial donations and again we have a number of ways in which Big Business can partner us from corporate donations, to funding around their business geographies to staff donations, campaign engagement or regular giving.

“Finally, TALENT: this applies when experts from the business partner are able to assist us with a specific area of work which can be from any part of the business.”

The key to true partnering is being able to offer big business a range of ways in which the organisation, its staff and leadership teams can engage with what we do, said Ms O’Hara.

“The final and essential part of the relationships big business look for is how they can tell the story of their partnering to their staff, customers and stakeholders and how we as their partner, can amplify their messages, where appropriate.  

“We have long-standing relationships with organisations who have been with us from the very beginning including Lotterywest, and others with those who’ve been with us for over a decade, like BHP, John Hughes, the Perrons, Hawaiian Group, Iluka and PrimeWest.

“What we have learned over the years is the value of ongoing relationships and the key to maintaining them is to listen.”

Many big businesses in Western Australia are similarly successful because they’ve held on to that small-business outlook towards entrepreneurship. They’re not afraid to be bold and try new things, learn from their experiences, and can react quickly to grasp opportunities or meet challenges as they arise.

This is particularly true of the mining and engineering sector, which is project-focused and constantly adapting to market fluctuations and technological advances.

“St Pat’s is very familiar with both project work and getting down and dirty at the coalface, which is something we appreciate about our mining and engineering partners,” said Mr Piu.

“We find our volunteers from mining and engineering organisations, such as Civmec, are always the first to roll up their sleeves, ask questions and come up with practical solutions.

“As we’ve expanded our reach we’ve been able to connect with new businesses and supporters.”

In 2020, St Pat’s became the partner charity of ReturnIt Cockburn, a depot for the Containers for Change deposit scheme. ReturnIt is an agile, solutions focused business which is helping communities across Australia tackle the problem of recycling and preserving our environment. St Pat’s has benefited greatly not just from their financial support but their practical, community-focused approach to building partnerships and growing their business.

“Being able to support both people and the environment has been very important to us and we’re excited by the opportunity it’s given us to explore a different facet of our relationship with the local community,” said Mr Piu.

Strategy over emotion

The arts and cultural sector has a unique value proposition for big business over several parameters – health and wellbeing, education/creative learning, communicating stories, problem-solving, creating community connection and celebration.

Over the years, AWESOME Arts has partnered with a range of corporate partners that included property developers, manufacturing and mining, and within ever one of those partnerships, the NFP has found a mutual objective centred around making a positive difference in the community.

“In our case, this impact is delivered through creative learning programs, and community events that reflect and celebrate local identity,” said Jenny Simpson, CEO of AWESOME Arts.

“Our Creative Challenge Creative learning program works particularly well or mining and resources companies, because it can operate in both communities and schools, can be delivered into very remote locations, it’s scalable and can be tailored to respond to individual community needs.

“On the other hand, the AWESOME International Children’s Festival is a valuable partnership option for companies wanting to deliver positive impacts for children and families. One of the benefits of this partnerships is that they often broker in family-friendly hospitality at the festival which can be a very positive experience for their employees with families. “

The longstanding partnership between Lifeline WA and Santos has been developing for more than six years.

It involves a broad range of opportunities for engagement between Lifeline WA, Santos and the communities within which they operate, to help increase mental health awareness and the prevention of suicide.

“We have found that the strategic value of relationships increases over time as the synergy between Lifeline WA and our partner becomes more resonant,” said Ms MacGregor, CEO of Lifeline WA.

“For example, our partnership with Santos has evolved from a direct donation to our Crisis Support service to community engagement. This has resulted in grassroots stigma reduction and encouragement of help-seeking throughout the communities where Santos operates.”

Real results, from real relationships – and a rich addition to the diverse connections to be had between big businesses and NFPs, if you just know where to look. Just like mining, really