Generating Better outcomes for all
Passionate about supporting the community that supports us and fostering a strong culture of philanthropy and excellence, we implement an array of initiatives and provide financial support to charities to increase our impact for better social outcomes.
We do this across seven key areas within GB-A, this includes:
Gender Equity and Inclusion
Gender equality, diversity and inclusion has been a high priority for GB-A, so much so that we have put together an industry leading Gender Equity and Inclusivity Policy that significantly benefits our team and addresses the discrimination that is still being felt throughout the building and construction industry.
To continue to lead the way in gender equity, diversity, and inclusion, GB-A provides:
- Support for parents and carers with gender-neutral parental leave and paid super payments provided during parental leave
- Flexible working opportunities including part-time employment, flexible hours, and work from home arrangements to fulfil parenting and caring duties without pressure or disadvantage
- Breastfeeding Rooms and Prayer Rooms within both studios
- Gender neutral bathrooms within both studios, with free sanitary products available
- Option to include pronouns on GB-A email signatures and to wear inclusive badges
- Training sessions including ‘Introduction to Gender and Sexuality’ by Minus 18, and ‘How to Be an Awesome Ally to the LGBTQIA+ Community’, and Australian sign language (AUSLAN)
- Celebration of key awareness days including IDAHOBIT, Wear it Purple Day, Trans Awareness Week, and AUSLAN Day
- Opportunities to volunteer for events such as PFLAG+ Australia at the Pride Fair in Brisbane.
Team Wellbeing
Knowing that our greatest business assets are our team, staff wellbeing is a high priority for GB-A and we have instigated a number of initiatives to ensure greater wellbeing and work life balance. These include:
- 9-Day Fortnight – We work a 9-day fortnight and close our studio every second Friday. You can find out more and view closure dates here
- Employee Assist Program – Free support available to all team members and their immediate family members
- Nominated Mental Health First Aiders – Specific training provided for HR and cultural leads
- Mental Health First Aid and Resources, including Awareness for Employees Workshop
- Dog Days – Bring your furry friends to work!
Domestic and Family Violence
At GB-A we believe that domestic violence is not a private issue, but a community issue and it is our responsibility, wherever possible, to prevent it by providing a safe and supportive workplace for all our employees.
We recognise that domestic violence is widespread and could affect our employees both directly and indirectly in the workplace. Our response to any of our employees who are experiencing domestic violence is one that is focused on protecting confidentiality, providing appropriate support, and endeavouring to prevent further violence.
To support those suffering from domestic and family violence in the community, as a team we have also implemented the following:
- Implementation of a Domestic Violence Policy and Plan
- Melbourne Studio – Supporting DV Safe Phone by bringing in old phones for domestic violence sufferers to use as safe phones.
- Brisbane Studio – Collecting toiletries for local DV Shelters.
Cultural and Social Responsibility
In addition to prioritising cultural responsibility through our projects we believe in the power to make positive change, and demonstrate our commitment to cultural and social responsibility through company and charitable initiatives, including:
- Implementation of a Social Procurement Plan
- Acknowledgement of Country in all General Staff Meetings
- Conducting Cultural Competency Training by Uncle Bill at Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation
- Not observing the Australia Day public holiday as a company and providing staff with an alternative day off in lieu
- Supporting the Nup to the Cup movement by providing Victorian staff with the option to take an alternative day off in lieu
- Celebrating key cultural days including (but not limited to Persian New Year, Chinese New Year, Diwali, and Eid al-Fitr)
- Year-round support of a diverse range of worthy organisations and causes, see Community Engagement.
HELPING YOUNG REFUGEE WOMEN THROUGH USING BEAUTIFUL BUNCH
The Beautiful Bunch is a Melbourne-based floral delivery service that creates beautiful floral arrangements and creates job opportunities for women from refugee backgrounds who normally face significant challenges securing a job in Australia.
SUPPORTING SECONDARY SCHOLARSHIPS TO INDIGENOUS CHILDREN THROUGH YALARI
Understanding that education is the key to change, we are proud to support Yalari. Founded in 2005, Yalari is a not-for-profit organisation that offers secondary education scholarships at leading Australian boarding schools for Indigenous children from regional and remote communities to give them a brighter future. More than 240 students Australia-wide are currently supported by Yalari.
Sustainable Initiatives
As a carbon neutral practice and 3-star EcoBiz Champion partner, we are committed to operating sustainably. Through our day-to-day studio operations, we have implemented the following sustainable initiatives:
- Use 100% recycled toilet paper and paper towel supplies from Who Gives a Crap, an organisation that donates 50% of their profits to help build toilets for those in need
- On-premises worm farm at our Brisbane Studio to turn decomposing organic matter and food scraps into compost
- Separate bins in both studios to divert items from landfill and dispose of items appropriately, including Paper and Cardboard Recycling, Mixed Recycling, Soft Plastics, Landfill and Green and food waste
- Additional recycling stations for prescription glasses, used pens and stationery, batteries, and cartridges
- Electronic waste donated to eWaste Connection
- Zero waste cleaning products supplied by Nitty Gritty organics in Brisbane and Zero Co Australia in the Melbourne studio, which are people- and planet-friendly products in pre-filled, returnable packaging made from recycled materials
- Suitable end-of-trip shower facilities at both studios to support sustainable transport.
For more information, read our sustainability approach.
Community Engagement
ANNUAL ART SHOW TO RAISE FUNDS FOR HEAR AND SAY
Did you know that one in seven Australians are impacted by hearing loss? That is set to rise as high as one in four by 2060. Hear and Say are specialised providers of audiology and speech pathology for all people with hearing loss – from newborn babies, to toddlers, school age children and adults.
Every year, for Loud Shirt Day (Hear and Say’s fundraising day), we hold our 'Pop-Up' Art Show in our Brisbane Studio. Running since 2012, the event has become a great annual community tradition that supports local artists and the artistic talents and pursuits of our team to raise needed funds for the Hear and Say Centre.
PLAYING A ROLE IN PREVENTION WITH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
Director Kavan Applegate has been a Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters for over 20 years now and GB-A has been supporting them for over 15 years.
Our work in rehabilitative corrections architecture has taught us that while the best correction facilities are essential, they can never be as good as prevention. By providing kids with practical mentoring and the relationships they need, we can do our part in keeping them out of these facilities in the first place. In our eyes this is another element in designing a better world, and it is why we love and support the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters so much.
OTHER CHARITABLE SUPPORT
Throughout the year we also support a wide range of charitable causes and events. These include (but aren’t limited to):
- Food bank donation drive for Foodbank Victoria
- RSPCA Day
- Daffodil Day
- Pawgust (Guide Dogs Australia)
- (MS Plus)
Breaking Cycles in Corrections
FOCUSING ON RISING RECIDIVISM RATES
According to the Sentencing Council of Victoria, 42.7% of Australian prisoners return to prison within two years following release (2021-22). A key part of breaking this cycle, is good prison design. Prison design needs to support prison operations to educate and rehabilitate prisoners so that they can create a better life. If life in prison is better than their life outside, prisoners need to be helped to make their life outside better than the life they have inside.
Key aspects of how our correctional team are addressing this:
- Non-institutional design
- Step-down accommodation to provide greater independence as behaviour improves and prisoners move closer to release
- State of the art education and industries buildings to facilitate skill development and the attainment of qualifications
ADDRESSING CORRECTIONAL STAFF DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE RATES
Research shows that working in a correctional centre not only decreases mental health, but it also increases staff suicide rates, heart disease, blood pressure and family breakdown. The Courier Mail reported in January 2023 that the pressure of managing violent and mentally ill inmates led to six Queensland prison officers taking their own lives in the past two years.
Imagine what it would be like as a staff member going inside every day into a harsh, lifeless facility where there’s an “us” and “them” mentality between staff and prisoners. The rehabilitative approach that we take to designing correctional centres can make massive changes to staff for all the right reasons.
PROVIDING JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE BREAKING THE CYCLES
Understanding the importance of supporting those who are trying to break the cycle, there are two organisations we support to help create positive change and employment opportunities. These include:
- YMCA ReBuild – A social enterprise facilities maintenance company that trains, employs and supports young people involved in the criminal justice system.
- Fruit 2 Work – A multi-award winning, certified not-for-profit social enterprise and charity that creates meaningful employment opportunities for those who have been impacted by the justice system.
IMPROVING DESIGN OUTCOMES ACROSS CORRECTIONS
In a commitment to improving design outcomes for the corrections sector as well as in our own projects, we have taken the following actions:
- Director Kavan Applegate is the Chair of the ICPA Planning & Design Committee and is on the advisory board for the Informa Prisons Conference which brings together prisons, policy makers, investors and design and technology innovators to explore improvements for the Australian prison system.
- Associate Director Craig Blewitt works closely with the Griffith University Design Studio where he is working to change the perceptions of incarceration for architectural students.
