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August 24, 2006
Alcoa partnerships recognised as best practice
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Two of Alcoa’s key community partnerships have today been held up as shining examples of how corporate Australia and community organisations can help each other achieve their goals.
Alcoa’s national partnership with child safety organisation K.I.D.S Foundation and WA partnership with youth opportunity organisation Fairbridge were today announced as winners in the Prime Minister’s Awards in Community Business Partnerships.
The partnership between Alcoa and KIDS Foundation is founded on the common value of safety and is unique in the equal benefits it brings to both organisations – with K.I.D.S Foundation supported to develop community safety outreach programs and Alcoa employees inspired to further drive internal safety initiatives.
While the Alcoa – Fairbridge partnership, based on a shared commitment to the Peel region and youth opportunity, has resulted in youth training programs involving 184 organisations across the state, a multi-million dollar contribution to the local regional economy and the preservation an important part of Australian and international history.
Alcoa Managing Director Wayne Osborn said the two partnerships embodied the company’s approach to corporate social responsibility which was founded on working in collaboration with the community to achieve shared goals.
“Alcoa’s commitment to sustainability is not just focused on our own operations, but also how we can play our part in strengthening the regions where we operate, said Mr Osborn.
“Our partnership with K.I.D.S Foundation has provided our employees with a greater awareness of the impact injury can have while we can benefit their organisation through our safety and business expertise.”
“Similarly, our work with Fairbridge has not only resulted in a range of fantastic youth training and development programs, we have assisted Fairbridge in re-establishing itself as a self-sustaining entity – with our financial contribution decreasing as our staff involvement increases.”
Susie O’Neill, CEO and founder of KIDS Foundation, said working with Alcoa had catapulted the Foundation from a small Ballarat-based group to a national community organisation with national presence and effect.
“By connecting our safety programs to the communities where Alcoa operates we now have a presence in three states and a significantly expanded supporter base, said Ms O’Neil.
“Aside from working together on core partnership programs, we can draw on Alcoa’s business expertise and networks for strategic planning, training and access to new funding streams, making our organisation more sustainable into the future.”
Fairbridge CEO Mark Anderson agreed that unlike a traditional sponsorship model, financial support was only a small aspect of his organisation’s relationship with Alcoa.
“Alcoa doesn’t hand us a cheque and walk away, their senior managers work hand in hand with us at both a business level and to meet the needs of the community, said Mr Anderson.
“The stability that the partnership has provided over the past decade has meant we have been able to develop programs to bring long-term change in the lives of many young people, including the long-term unemployed, young people with a disability and indigenous youth.”
Both partnerships now have the opportunity to enter the national level of the Prime Minister’s Awards in Community Business Partnerships, with winners announced in October.
Media Contact:
Libby Archell
Communications Advisor
Ph: 08 9316 5290
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