Our commitment goes beyond our employees, creating opportunities for diverse suppliers and jobseekers, including social enterprises and priority groups. We welcome different perspectives and backgrounds, enhancing innovation, collaboration, and respect throughout our projects, ensuring our operations generate long-term value for all stakeholders.
At GS E&C Australia, we are committed to deepening our relationship with Indigenous communities through the development of a Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). This RAP will guide our actions to promote reconciliation and create sustainable employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians. As members of the Supply Nation, we actively engage with Indigenous businesses to contribute to the economic growth and social well-being of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, reflected in our achievements in surpassing Indigenous engagement targets on our projects.
We’re ensuring our supply chain for project delivery supports disadvantaged groups, creating sustainable social benefits. By integrating social enterprises in our project delivery approach, we contribute to broader economic resilience. As part of Spark consortium delivering North East Link Tunnels, we have an unprecedented commitment to achieve a $90 million spend with social enterprises, and we are well on our way to achieving this significant outcome.
We deliver outstanding opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds, including long-term unemployed, ex-offenders, returned veterans, people with disabilities, young people and migrants. We’re committed to supporting economic independence and social inclusion for those most in need. As part of Spark consortium delivering North East Link Tunnels, we’re creating 1,000+ placements for Priority Jobseekrs, and have placed more than 815 people into these roles as of mid-2024.
We’re fostering gender diversity and training and upskilling people in recognition of the critical need to shore up a talent pipeline and drive lasting cultural change in the construction industry. We are active members of NAWIC, and as part of Spark consortium delivering North East Link Tunnels, we have women representing 27% of professional roles, and apprentices, trainees and cadets accounting for over 30% of total project hours (as at mid-2024).