Reconciliation at GHD: Action, partnership and progress
At GHD, our vision for reconciliation is an Australia where the cultures, histories and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are understood, recognised and respected.
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) provides a valuable moment to reflect on progress, share knowledge and strengthen connections with communities and partners. At GHD reconciliation is embedded year-round in how teams learn, partner and deliver projects across Australia. It is guided by our Stretch Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), launched in July 2025, which reaffirms our longstanding commitment to reconciliation and is clear about the actions we are taking in key focus areas.
This year’s theme, All In, is a reminder that meaningful progress depends on daily action: building strong relationships with Indigenous organisations and communities, supporting career pathways, increasing engagement with Indigenous businesses and strengthening cultural capability across our workforce. These are all key focus areas reflected in GHD’s RAP: Indigenous Engagement, Employment and Retention, Projects and Procurement, Clients and Partnerships, and Respecting Country, Community and Culture.
National Reconciliation Week is an important time to come together, listen, learn and reflect on our shared reconciliation journey. We’re proud to work alongside Indigenous businesses and organisations making a meaningful difference in communities across Australia. These partnerships create opportunities for shared learning, deeper understanding and meaningful action, and reinforce the role we all have in progressing reconciliation every day."
Bringing our RAP focus areas to life
To open National Reconciliation Week 2026, GHD hosted a national livestream event from our Cairns office, bringing employees together online and in-person to learn directly from Indigenous-led organisations and businesses. The session began with a Welcome to Country by Yirrganydji Elder Aunty Jeannette Singleton, followed by a cultural dance performance led by Jesse Coleman from Daylight Cultural Immersions. This event reflected our focus on Respecting Country, Community and Culture by creating space for cultural protocols, knowledge sharing and reflection.
Dr Mercy Singleton from Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation spoke about the Yirrganydji Land and Sea Rangers program and its work caring for Country along the coast between Cairns and Port Douglas. Her reflections highlighted the value of respectful engagement and the role Aboriginal knowledge systems and cultural perspectives play in environmental stewardship and long-term outcomes. Her contribution brought together two important RAP focus areas: Indigenous Engagement, through working with community, and Respecting Country, Community and Culture, through valuing Aboriginal knowledge and care for Country.
Steven Noy, Managing Director of Aboriginal-owned Biodiversity Australia, spoke about his own reconciliation journey and the meaningful outcomes Indigenous businesses can create through community impact and employment. His story shows how procurement and project partnerships can strengthen economic participation when they are built on trust, capability and long-term intent. This speaks directly to GHD’s focus on Projects and Procurement, by showing how Indigenous business engagement can create broader social and economic value.
Merinda Walters, Program Manager at CareerTrackers, shared her career journey, from environmental scientist at GHD to her current role supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students through the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy. She also spoke to the long-term impact of internships and mentorship, and the way one opportunity can ripple outward for families and communities over time. Her story highlighted our ongoing focus on Employment and Retention through career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and professionals.
A week of activity, grounded in year‑round focus areas
Across NRW, our teams around Australia also held activities connected to the Stretch RAP focus areas.
Canberra hosted a roundtable focused on strengthening education and STEM pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. The event brought together leaders from industry, education and community, including partners from GO Foundation and CareerTrackers to explore ways to increase opportunities for students to access STEM careers. The event reflected our focus on partnerships and expanding pathways into STEM through deliberate, collaborative action.
In Melbourne and Western Australia, teams hosted screenings aligned to themes such as truth‑telling, Indigenous knowledges and allyship. These experiences show that cultural learning extends beyond online training. It creates space for people to listen, reflect and deepen understanding through shared experience and conversation.
In Tasmania, the team took part in a cultural learning experience at Cataract Gorge in Launceston with Indigenous guide Djuiker. Through activities including bush food exploration, fish trap weaving and traditional fire-making, the session offered a practical way to learn about local culture and deepen understanding of connection to Country.
It’s been wonderful to see the energy and care our regions have brought to National Reconciliation Week, with events led by our RAP Champions creating meaningful opportunities for teams to come together, listen and learn. While NRW is an important moment of reflection, it also highlights the ongoing work happening across GHD to build stronger relationships and support reconciliation in practical ways.”
Learn more about GHD’s Reconciliation Action Plan and commitment to reconciliation: Reconciliation Action Plan.
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About GHD
GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 12,000+ professionals is connected across 165 offices located on five continents.