The Compass Group says that it is powering ahead of schedule in its programs aimed at improving Indigenous and Torres Strait Island participation in the workforce.
Compass Group is one of the inaugural partners in the Federal Government's Employment parity initiative.
Through this partnership "Project 1050" was launched last year, the project made a commitment to place 1050 Indigenous and Torres Strait Island workers in the workforce over the next three years.
In the sidelines of NAIDOC week this year the Compass Group announced that it has already placed four hundred and seventy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders workers in the workforce.
This is close to half of the three year commitment achieved within a twelve months period.
Executive Director Human Resources & Risk at Compass Group Australia Rosie McArdle says "There is still a long way to go but we are well on track to reach the target".
She also added that her organization doesn't have a parity target but it has a notional target of 10%. To bridge the skills and competence gap, the group provides targeted training opportunities thanks to its collaboration with a selection of partners who have unique access to Indigenous communities and geography.
Together with Indigenous organizations, the Compass Group developed a long term mentoring processes for new employees.It also introduced a cultural awareness training program which has attracted more than two thousand five hundred non-Indigenous staff.