CPB Contractors, in collaboration with Southern Cultural Immersion, recently hosted a showcase evening at the Living Kaurna Center in Warriparinga. The event brought together over 70 guests, including current Indigenous suppliers and service providers, social enterprises, government clients, delivery partners and CPB Contractors team members from across South Australia.
Held on Kaurna Country in collaboration with Southern Cultural Immersion, the event was a celebration of First Nations culture, which saw guests participate in cultural grounds tours and enjoy Indigenous dance performances, music and produce. This gathering also reiterated CPB Contractors’ commitment to providing participation opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and businesses, with many discussions focused on how to keep innovating within the construction industry and encourage more opportunities.
Group Manager, Diversity, Indigenous and Social Inclusion, Sharon Gray, presented on the CPB Contractors’ Reconciliation journey and Stretch RAP. Sharon also led a panel discussion – In Conversation: Delivering Shared Value in South Australia.
The panel featured Indigenous business owners and construction professionals from across the State, including Dean Rioli - Managing Director, Bunji Hire; Edwin Davey - CPB Contractors General Superintendent; Isaiah Turner - Project Manager, Aboriginal Urban Design & Southern Cultural Immersion; and Sharon Laughton - Leading Hand, CPB Contractors. Their insights provided valuable perspectives on working with and in the construction industry and highlighted many opportunities for the future.
CPB Contractors has been delivering infrastructure in South Australia since the 1970s. Over this time, region-defining projects have been delivered across almost all sectors: Roads, Rail, Defence, Health, Resources, and New Energy. While delivering these projects, CPB Contractors continues to create opportunities for more safe, rewarding and fulfilling careers for First Australians in the construction industry and on infrastructure projects. As part of this, CPB Contractors has developed an industry-leading Social Inclusion procurement approach that focuses on encouraging and embedding Indigenous and social enterprises into our supply chain over the life of our projects and beyond. You can read more about this here.