Our People

APC's commitment to safeguarding the health, safety and wellbeing of our people includes:

• Plan, Do, Check, Act culture
• ISO45001 Principles developed into OH&S Framework
• Diversity obligations
• Employee Assistance Program

Occupational Health & Safety Management

The OH&S Management System applies to all matters arising out of Australian Potash's business activities which may impact the health and safety of employees, contractors, the environment and the communities in which the Company operates.  All regions and business units of the organisation are included in the scope of the management system.

Diversity & Employment Equal Opportunity

APC recognises the benefits arising from diversity, including a broader pool of high quality employees, improving employee retention and motivation, accessing different perspectives and ideas and benefitting from all available talent.  The Company also takes it obligations seriously with respect to equal employment opportunity and all decisions affecting employment and career development, including, but not limited to recruiting, promoting, assigning work, training, promoting, upgrading, developing and retaining employees and future employees, are subject to fair employment practices.

The Company's diversity objectives include:

• a diverse and skilled workforce, leading to continuous improvement in service delivery and achievement of corporate goals;
• a workplace culture characterised by inclusive practices and behaviours for the benefit of all staff;
• an inclusive workplace where discrimination, harassment, vilification and victimisation cannot and will not be tolerated;
• improved employment, talent management and career development opportunities for women;
• commitment to indigenous employment and local community engagement;
• enhanced recruitment practices whereby the best person for the job is employed, which requires the consideration of a broad and diverse pool of talent;
• a work environment that values and utilises the contributions of employees with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives through improved awareness of the benefits of workforce diversity and successful management of diversity; and
• awareness in all staff of their rights and responsibilities with regards to fairness, equity and respect for all aspects of diversity.

The Company's current gender diversity performance is illustrated below:

Indigenous Employment Strategy

APC's Indigenous Employment Strategy is a pillar of its overarching Indigenous Engagement Strategy and incorporates the Employee Cultural Commitment Program.  Across the various stages of development of the Lake Wells SOP Project, the Company has established indigenous employment targets of between 12% and 15%, which will apply across APC and contractors appointed to undertake work packages.

Through its partnership with the Waalitj Foundation, APC will identify local Indigenous people with ready-for-work, and work competent, skill sets. The Company will work with the Foundation on a case by case basis to develop individual career development pathways, with the responsibility for career advancement for each Indigenous employee resting with the Company at the end of the initial six-month support provided by the Foundation.

In addition to developing the working partnership with the Foundation, as the foundation sponsor of the Laverton Training Centre it is anticipated that the first group of trainees to complete civil construction programs will be recruited to work on the Lake Wells SOP Project civils programs, thus ensuring a work and skills experience for trainees (solidifying their learnings) and opportunity for APC to achieve its indigenous employee ratios.

The Company is very aware of the deeply cultural background of local indigenous people and accordingly, and within the bounds of its broader obligations to the safety and welfare of all employees, the Company subscribes to indigenous retention strategies that:

• are capable of accommodating absences for periods of time to attend cultural and traditional business, including ceremonies and funerals;
• promote culturally safe workplaces for indigenous employees, that reflect a common understanding and acceptance of their cultural beliefs; and,
• ensure indigenous employees feel accepted and integrated into the team, while maintaining their identity through the above.

Indigenous employees will be ascribed a mentor, who unlike their direct management report, will be tasked with understanding each individual’s particular circumstances. Mentors will come from the existent workforce, with appropriate familial connections of paramount importance. Family connections and intrinsic cultural understanding will be vital to the success of mentoring

Health & Wellbeing

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

APC offers a free professional and confidential counselling service for all employees and their immediate family members.  The EAP covers a variety of areas such as stress, workplace bullying and depression.  Our goal is the promotion of long term health and wellbeing.

Working Life are our current EAP provider and can be contacted 24/7 to provide support.  All calls made to Working Life are answered by an experienced and qualified counsellor, and held strictly confidential between the counsellor and the caller.

COVID-19 Response

We implemented and will continue to proactively implement protocols and systems to safeguard our people, manage risk and overcome any impacts on our activities from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key measures implemented since ~March 2020 include:

• maintaining health and safety systems in line with formal guidance of State health authorities;
• provision of appropriate pandemic PPE and co-ordination of appropriate testing regimes;
• boosting workforce social distancing measures across workplaces; and
• enhanced workforce communication and promotion of APC’s health and wellbeing programs, including mental health.