Resources and property firms win PM's community awards

Three giants of Western Australia's resources sector - Woodside Petroleum Ltd, Rio Tinto Ltd and BHP Billiton Ltd - have had projects funded by them recognised in the recent Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships.

The trio shared the large business category.

WA developer Satterley Property Group was also a winner, taking the WA medium business award.

Large Business Award (Joint Winner)
Business: Woodside
Community Organisation: Western Australian Museum
Profile: The partnership resulted in the development of "The Woodside Collection" to investigate and document the marine biodiversity of the Dampier Archipelago and nearby continental coastline.

Large Business Award (Joint Winner)
Business: Rio Tinto WA Future Fund
Community Organisation: Scitech
Profile: The partnership, which began in 2004, has established the "Kids' Science State" initiative to increase the scientific literacy of teachers, children and parents across the state. Rio Tinto provides accommodation for the travelling exhibitions and road shows, and access to expertise in the industry.

Large Business Award (Joint Winner)
Business: BHP Billiton Ore
Community Organisation: Royal Life Saving Society of Australia
Profile: The partnership has created the 'Remote Aboriginal Swimming Pools Project', which focuses on providing recreational and educational swimming programs in remote Pilbara communities to encourage water safety.

Medium Business Award
Business: Satterley Property Group
Community Organisation: Clarkson Community High School, West Coast TAFE and Swan TAFE
Profile: The partnership is providing training and work experience for young people in years 11 and 12, willing to take on full or part-time employment and apprenticeships in building and construction trades.

The Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships reward and recognise those businesses and community organisations which come together to generate outcomes that have a long term benefit for the community.

When the Awards were first introduced in 1999 the concept of community business partnerships was relatively new in Australia and the Awards initiative was welcomed as an innovative way to encourage a socially responsible approach by business.

Over the past 6 years significant developments have occurred. The private sector approach to managing the social and environmental impacts of business and investing in communities has advanced significantly in both philosophy and practice and an approach based on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become more widely understood and accepted. In addition, a number of new measures have been introduced to enhance the Awards program, including a new media award category in 2002, and, in 2003, the introduction of judges' encouragement awards and the adoption of an awards logo.

It is important that the Awards maintain their relevance to the business and community sectors by reflecting their needs and priorities, and by showcasing CSR best practice. The Awards are currently being reviewed to ensure they continue to recognise leadership in these areas.

Review consultations are now complete and preparation of the final report is in progress. The review will report to the Prime Ministers Community Business Partnership in mid - 2005.

Below is a backgrounder on the awards and some of the announcements from the award winners:

Now in its ninth year, the Prime Minister's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships provide opportunities for businesses and not-for-profit organisations to be rewarded for their commitment to improving the community in which they live and work.

The Awards also highlight to the rest of the Australian community of the long term impact businesses and organisations can have when they work together.

The Award winners are just a few of the partnerships which have committed financial assistance and support to ensure a sustainable future for their local communities.

The Awards further the work of the Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership by recognising outstanding partnerships and profiling the work they do. The businesses and community organisations can lead by example and show their peers the multitude of benefits that can accrue to all involved.

The Awards seek to raise awareness within the general community about businesses contributing to the social and economic well-being of the communities in which they operate.

They recognise the joint contributions of business and community to projects which address issues of concern to the broader community, and promote the partnerships themselves as excellent examples of innovative and creative ways of meeting community needs.

Website: www.partnerships.gov.au

Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership

The Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership is a group of prominent Australians from the community and business sectors, appointed by the Prime Minister to advise and assist the Government on issues concerning community business collaboration.

The Partnership's goals include identifying and addressing incentives and impediments to corporate social responsibility and encouraging a culture of giving in Australia.

The Partnership's role is advocacy, facilitation and recognition of corporate social responsibility and partnerships between business and community organisations in Australia.

Community business partnerships are more than just sponsorship or marketing arrangements - both partners should make roughly equal contributions, and receive equal benefits. Partnership members should have some shared values and objectives and importantly, mutual respect

A partnership offers a great opportunity for shared learning in which both organisations can draw upon the unique skills of the other and benefit from the sharing of ability, expertise, time and resources. In addition to providing a solution to a need in the community, a good community business partnership can also benefit the partners for example by boosting staff morale, customer loyalty and community goodwill.

Collaboration between the partners takes many forms - the business may offer in-kind support, financial assistance and technical expertise, for example. The community organisation may provide training and mentoring as well as enabling the business to expand its networks.

Being part of a community business partnership is one way in which a business is able to demonstrate to the community in which it operates that it is a socially responsible company.

Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership Members are appointed by the Prime Minister and represent prominent Australians from the business and community sectors. Members bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the Partnership and demonstrate a commitment to champion individual and corporate social responsibility.

Members:
Prime Minister the Hon. John Howard,
Chairman

The Hon. Mal Brough MP,
Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Deputy Chair

Mr Geoff Allen,
Director, The Allen Consulting Group Pty Ltd

Mr David Baffsky AO,
Chair, Accor Asia Pacific

Mr Peter Coates,
Chief Executive, Xstrata Coal

Mr Roger Corbett AM,
Former CEO and Group Managing Director, Woolworths Limited

Mr David Gonski AO,
Chairman Investec Wentworth Pty Ltd

Ms Elaine Henry,
Chief Executive Officer The Smith Family

Mr Rob Hunt AM,
Managing Director Bendigo Bank
Dr Simon Longstaff,
Executive Director, St James Ethics Centre

Mr Patrick McClure AO,
Division Director Macquarie Bank Limited

Dr David Morgan,
Chief Executive Officer Westpac Banking Corporation

Reverend The Hon. Dr Gordon Moyes AC, MLC,
Former Superintendent Wesley Mission

Mr Fergus Ryan,
Company Director Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited

Below is a Scitech announcement:

An innovative program to deliver science learning to more than 100 thousand regional Western Australians every year, has won Scitech and the Rio Tinto Future fund the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships (WA).

The pair entered into a five year partnership in 2003, to create a comprehensive State-wide science education program entitled the Kids' Science State. Traveling everywhere from Esperance to the Kununurra in 'Gus' the bright orange bus, the Scitech team helps increase the scientific literacy of teachers, children and parents through unique, inspiring programs that improve science and technology, skills and values.

Scitech CEO Alan Brien says, "The partnership has created enormous benefits to us as partners and the community as a whole. We now have Rio Tinto staff as volunteers in a range of programs, particularly in the regions in which they carry out mining operations - the Pilbara and Kimberley. This includes scientists from the company collaborating with Scitech staff and local schools in providing expertise, liaison officers have assisted with the logistics of regional touring and professional development management opportunities have been provided to senior Scitech staff."

The various components of the project include a Science Roadshow taking hands-on interactive science exhibits and science demonstrations to regional and remote communities in WA; Do It Yourself science exhibits and experiment kits; professional learning for teachers; science awareness festivals and on-line teacher resources.

New programs, such as the 'Maths Factory' (2005), are developed each year to add to the suite of science education services available for schools and communities.

Rio Tinto CEO, Sam Walsh says, "Inspiring interest and careers in maths and science is of vital importance to the future of Western Australia. Through Kids Science State we can help to engage students, teachers and communities in science education programs in country and regional areas and assist in building scientific literacy."

The partnership was developed from a detailed five year strategic business plan which provides the Kids' Science State with $1.61 million from Rio Tinto WA Future Fund, $1million from Scitech and in kind staff support to the value of $500,000 from the Department of Education and Training towards the improvement of science education and science literacy in Western Australia.

Mr Walsh says, "This is something that is as important to Scitech as it is to Rio Tinto. We are delighted that this partnership has been recognised by the Prime Minster's Awards for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships and congratulate Scitech on delivering such a unique and innovative program."

Mr Brien adds, "At a time when WA faces teacher shortages in the education sector and skills shortages in the mining industry, creative solutions are all the more vital."

The partnership has resulted in the presentation of alternative ways of learning about the environment and science in everyday life, the creation of a strong community focus on science in rural and remote areas of the State and the inspiration of young people to take up worthwhile and satisfying employment opportunities in science related fields that will support WA's economic base in the long term.

The national finals of the Prime Minister's Awards will be announced in October.

Below is a Satterley announcement:

The Satterley Property Group has won a prestigious Prime Minister's Award for its building trades training program for high school students.

Satterley provided $300,000 to fund The Shed at Brighton Estate at Butler in the northern suburbs.

The Shed is the headquarters for the skills training initiative which caters for Year 11 pupils from Clarkson Community High School.

At a ceremony at the Sheraton Perth Hotel, Satterley, the school and West Coast and Swan TAFEs received the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships.

"We are involved in this program because we recognise the acute shortage of skilled trades people in the building industries," says Nigel Satterley, chief executive of the Satterley Property Group.

"Each of these students learning bricklaying, tiling, and plastering will have the opportunity of going on to an apprenticeship.

"Currently, there are 24 Clarkson pupils involved and the program will be extended to other schools.

"We also plan to establish a "shed"on various estates, with Busselton likely to be next."

Satterleys other partners in The Shed are the City of Wanneroo, the Building Industry Training Fund, the Brighton Estate Residents Association and the Alcock Brown Neaves Training Group.

Satterley's Brighton community development manager Robert Wallman was instrumental in nominating The Shed for the Prime Minister's Award.