The future is in your hands

Anti-racism Guidelines

Owned by Lydia Ho (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Aug 29, 2024 by Rebecca Moy (Unlicensed)
10 min read

Introduction 

There is zero tolerance for racism and all forms of racially motivated discrimination at Future Group (FG). We exist to build a future free from climate change and inequality by celebrating differences and creating a psychologically safe space. In particular, we want to create a psychologically safe space for those who have been marginalised and oppressed by the consequences and injustices of systemic and structural racism.

FG acknowledges that ending systemic racism and discrimination is everyone’s business, and as an organisation we have the opportunity through anti-racist policies and activities, to create meaningful change towards advancing racial equity and inclusion from within our workplace. 

This policy commits FG to working towards the elimination of racial discrimination and racial hatred in the workplace and anywhere else FG is represented. This policy commits FG to initiatives that will advance racial equity in a meaningful way. 

As always, we love input - without it, our policies are less effective. Take a few minutes, ask questions, and give us feedback. 

Background

In 2020 following the violent murder of George Floyd by police, mass Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place across the US and prompted protests globally, including Australia, where we saw national protests against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander deaths in custody, police brutality and the injustices of white supremacy.

While these events brought the issue of racism to the front and centre of mainstream media, it also forced the world to reckon with the structural and systemic racism that Indigenous, Black and under-represented communities have experienced over generations. 

Systemic racism affects every aspect of life, from interactions with law enforcement, to access to housing and capital, to health care, education, and the workplace. Racism can often remain invisible, unseen and overlooked except for when violence or harassment is involved. 

Less overt instances of racism occur frequently in workplaces and are usually referred to as casual racism or microaggressions. Examples could include “jokes” or off-hand comments, continuing to use language that is offensive, and deliberately excluding people who are from racial minorities. Microaggressions are often defended as being unintentional, but those who don’t experience racism often fail to understand how profoundly unjust they are, and how impactful they can be for the individuals and communities around us. 

We all have an obligation in ending discrimination and systemic racism and, in doing so, we need to challenge our own deep-rooted biases against people different from us, and hold a shared commitment to structural change.  

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to raise awareness of racism within the context of power, oppression and privilege. This policy commits FG to the elimination of racial discrimination and racial hatred in the workplace and anywhere else FG is represented. This policy commits FG to initiatives that will advance racial equity in a meaningful way. 

There is zero tolerance for racism at FG.

In this policy, “workplace” includes all locations in which people in the FG team (including, but not limited to, employees, directors and independent contractors) are required or approved by FG to perform their official duties.

Scope

This policy applies to all FG employees, directors and independent contractors.

This policy and its terms will also apply in all FG environments and interactions, including:

  • When FSG provides services to clients/members and how it interacts with other members of the public;

  • All aspects of employment, including but not limited to: recruitment and selection, conditions and benefits, training and promotion, task allocation, hours, leave arrangements, workload, and equipment and transport;

  • On FG premises, all locations where FG manages and/or controls, on-site, off-site or after-hours work, work-related social functions, conferences, and anywhere employees may be as a result of their official FG duties; and

  • How members or the team treat their colleagues, clients/members and of other members of the public encountered in the course of their FG duties. 

Definitions

  1. Racial discrimination 

Racial discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably, or not given the same opportunities as others in a similar situation, because of their race, the country where they were born, their ethnic origin or their skin colour. 

Racial discrimination can occur: 

Directly, when a person or group is treated less favourably than another person or group in a similar situation because of their race, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status.  

For example, an employee is humiliated because of the colour of their skin or an employee is refused a promotion because people of their racial background “are unreliable”. 

Indirectly, when an unreasonable requirement, condition or practice is imposed that has, or is likely to have, the effect of disadvantaged people because of their race, the country where they were born, their ethnic origin or their skin colour. 

For example, a manager tells their team that they must not wear hats or other headwear at work, despite having staff from a cultural background that may need to wear some form of headwear. 

  1. Racial hatred

Racial hatred occurs when a person or group does or says something in public that is reasonably likely to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a person or group because of their race, skin colour, or national or ethnic origin. 

  1. Vilification

Vilification means behaviour that incites hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule for a person or group of people, because of a certain attribute of that period or group of people, such as a person’s race. Racial discrimination, racial hatred and vilification are not tolerated at FG. 

  1. Our goals

FG’s purpose is to build a future free from climate change and inequality. We want to build a workplace where anti-racism is central to our culture. 

FG’s committed to providing a safe, flexible and respectful environment for employees and clients/members, free from racial discrimination, racial hatred and vilification. 

The FG team is to treat others with dignity, courtesy and respect. 

Our commitments 

In working towards a workplace free from any forms of racism, FG is committed to: 

  • Our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and maintaining a RAP working group with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander representation, with a focus on achieving all deliverables as set out in our RAP.

  • Welcome to Country protocols and appreciation of their importance in providing recognition of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Country and the people who belong and are Traditional Owners and Custodians of this Country. All team members are able to undertake Acknowledgment of Country workshops paid for by FG and attended during work hours.  

  • Achieving our cultural diversity targets, informed by the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics’ census data. FG aims to have at least 25% people of culturally diverse backgrounds overall and by level of skills/experience. Within this 25%, we aim for a 3% representation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. We regrettably acknowledge that at present, we do not have any Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander representation. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Employment is a key project within our Diversity Equity & Inclusion Strategy. 

  • Seeking to only offer internships to candidates who are from underrepresented minority groups. Internships will always be paid and in accordance with our remuneration principles. We are currently in partnership with CareerTrackers and CareerSeekers, and are committed to engaging at least two (2) interns per year.  

  • Tracking our cultural diversity pay gap and communicating the results with the broader team on an annual basis, while also making the results accessible at any time here. We hope that through this action, we will maintain accountability and reduce the cultural diversity pay gap within our organisation.

  • Following a de-identified recruitment process to help us reduce the risk of unconscious bias in our hiring decisions. We are currently using the Applied platform to help us achieve this. 

  • Complying with our Ethical Supplier Guidelines, and actively working with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander businesses through our partnership with Supply Nation. We will continue to track our supplier spend and ensure we continually work towards our targets and increase the proportion spent with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisations.  

  • Educating our team by providing access to training and resources about Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge and rights, as well as to embed recognition of their value into our organisational culture. We have committed to making cultural competency courses compulsory for all new starters, including Board appointments.

  • Educating our team by providing access to annual training (with Democracy in Colour, Hue or any other suitable organisations that offer anti-racism or allyship training, and are led by First Nations and culturally diverse people  on how to combat racist behavior, including unconscious bias and microaggressions and any other focus area based on anti-racism principles.

  • Supporting people of culturally diverse backgrounds through our SuperGlobal group and committing to engaging and consulting with our SuperGlobal group on matters relating to racial and cultural diversity and racial equity. 

  • Observing our Inclusive Language Guidelines and making sure that we use inclusive, respectful, anti-racist language in our internal and external communications.      

  • Continuous employment of a Diversity Equity & Inclusion focused-role. The core purpose of this role is to drive the development of a diversity and inclusion strategy and the execution of its deliverables. 

  • Continuously finding opportunities to reduce inequality and improve racial equity at FSG. 

Most importantly, we recognize that as an organisation we are not perfect. We are committed to supporting our team to identify gaps within our operations and providing a safe space to articulate them. We are committed to acknowledging these gaps and resolving them as best we can. Please reach out to the People & Culture team or use the comment feature in this document to make comments and suggestions.

Rights and responsibilities

All employees are entitled to:

  • Work free from racial discrimination, racial hatred and vilification;

  • Genuinely raise issues or to make an enquiry or complaint without being victimised;

  • Recruitment and selection decisions that are fair, impartial, based on merit and not affected by irrelevant personal characteristics or bias;

  • Reasonable flexibility in working arrangements, especially where needed to accommodate their beliefs or culture.

All employees must:

  • Follow the standards of behaviour outlined in this policy;

  • Offer support to people who experience racial discrimination, racial hatred, and/or vilification including providing information about how to make a complaint or contacting the appropriate external regulators in the event of an imminent threat;

  • Proactively educate yourself by attending and engaging with training provided by the business, accessing resources provided by the business, and seeking out additional resources to further your own education and understanding;

  • Respect the confidentiality of complaint resolution procedures;

  • Treat everyone with dignity, courtesy and respect.

Additional Responsibilities of Managers and Supervisors 

The CEO, Senior Management Team (SMT), Managers and Supervisors must also:

  • Model appropriate standards of behaviour;

  • Take steps to educate and make their team and team members aware of their obligations under this policy and applicable Federal and State legislation (including the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth));

  • Intervene quickly and appropriately when they become aware of inappropriate behaviour;

  • Act fairly to resolve issues and enforce workplace behavioural standards, making sure relevant parties are heard and afforded procedural fairness;

  • Help team members resolve complaints informally where appropriate;

  • Refer formal complaints about breaches of this policy to the appropriate complaint handling officer for investigation;

  • Ensure team members who raise an issue or make a complaint are not victimised;

  • Ensure that recruitment decisions are based on merit;

  • Genuinely consider all requests for flexible work arrangements.

Communication and consultation 

FG will ensure that:

  • All team members receive a copy of this policy during the onboarding process, and understand their obligations and rights under it;

  • This policy is easily accessible by all members of the organisation;

  • The team is informed when a particular activity aligns with this policy;

  • The team is encouraged to actively contribute and provide feedback to this policy; 

  • The team is notified of all changes to this policy.

Unacceptable workplace conduct 

Racial discrimination and racial hatred is unacceptable at FG and is unlawful under the following legislation:

  • Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) 

  • Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth)

  • Discrimination Act 1991 (ACT)

  • Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW)

  • Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 (QLD)

  • Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (TAS)

  • Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (VIC)

All employees, including CEO, SMT, managers, Board members and Non-Executive directors of FG found to have engaged in such conduct may be subject to disciplinary action (including counselling, warnings and/or up to termination of employment without notice). 

Under the law, employees can be held personally liable for certain breaches of discrimination law, and FG can also be vicariously liable for its employee’s conduct.  

Decisions based on merit

All recruitment and job selection decisions at FG will be based on merit – the skills and abilities of the candidate as measured against the inherent requirements of the position – regardless of a person’s race, the country where they were born, their ethnic origin or their skin colour, among other characteristics. 

It is unacceptable and in certain circumstances against the law to ask job candidates questions, or to in any other way seek information, about their race, the country where they were born, unless this can be shown to be directly relevant to a genuine requirement of the position.

Positive discrimination exemptions apply in line with legislation. FG accepts proposals in line with positive discrimination exemptions stipulated by Federal and State legislation. FG supports and understands that these measures aim to foster greater racial equality by supporting groups of people who face, or have faced, entrenched discrimination so they can have similar access to opportunities as others in the community.

Resolving Issues at FG

If you believe you or someone in your workplace has experienced or witnessed racial discrimination, racial hatred or vilification, we encourage you to take appropriate action by speaking with your manager, someone from the People & Culture team, the Legal team,Risk and Compliance team, SMT or the whistleblower hotline. This can be done formally or informally, in writing or verbally, to the appropriate individual.  

If you do not feel safe or confident to take such action, you can seek assistance from your manager, someone from the People & Culture team, the Legal team, Risk and Compliance team, SMT or the whistleblower hotline for advice and support or action on your behalf. 

You can find details for the whistleblower hotline here.  

Confidentiality 

It is unacceptable for employees at FG to talk with other employees, clients/members or suppliers about any complaint of racial discrimination or racial hatred without FG’s express permission. These are to be kept strictly confidential and only disclosed to certain individuals within FG on a need-to-know basis.

Breaching the confidentiality of a complaint investigation or inappropriately disclosing personal information obtained in a professional role (for example, as a manager) is a serious breach of this policy and may lead to disciplinary action (including up to termination of employment without notice).

Additional policies and resources

We encourage you to read and consider this policy in conjunction with other relevant FG policies and resources, including:

  • Workplace Behaviour Policy 

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing Policy

  • Whistleblower Policy

  • Uprise

Additional resources

Some fine print 

Any obligation contained in this policy does not create contractual rights. Any benefits or entitlements described in this policy is discretionary and FG has the right to change, remove or replace any obligation, benefit or entitlement at any time.

If you have any questions, please email us at peopleandculture@futuresuper.com.au

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