Community Development
Community Development
IGO’s long-term success depends on our ability to build relationships with business partners, governments, non-government organisations, host communities and other stakeholders. IGO’s activities affect our employees, contractors, suppliers, Traditional Owners and the community. In order to better understand and respond to these impacts we continue to build and maintain strong relationships with all our stakeholders.
IGO completes an annual survey of our stakeholders; if you would like to register your interest in participating, please contact us by email contact@igo.com.au.
Aboriginal Relations
A key focus of IGO's Community Development effort is the engagement of Traditional Land Owners and Aboriginal peoples.
Our people engage cooperatively and with due regard for the feelings, wishes and beliefs of the Traditional Owners of the land on which we operate, the Ngadju people at our Nova operation; the Tjiwarl people at our Cosmos operation; the Ballardong people, the Maduwongga people, the Ngadju people and the Marlinyu Ghoorlie people at our Forrestania operation and surrounding exploration programmes; and the Noongar Traditional Owners at our Lithium Joint Venture.
IGO actively recognise that the Traditional Owners have been the custodians of this land for thousands of years and we acknowledge their distinct culture, beliefs and way of life. IGO's commitment to this process is documented in the IGO Aboriginal Employment and Business Standard.
IGO Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
Endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, our first Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) outlines the actions we will take to build stronger relationships with the Traditional Owners connected to the lands on which we live and work and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Our vision for reconciliation is the development of strong and deep relationships and engagement with our host Traditional Owner communities, where we recognise, respect, and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage and deliver tangible social and economic opportunities.
We want to build on our ongoing commitment to create genuine respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, their cultures and lived experience, and enhance opportunities for equity both within and outside our organisation.
Our Innovate RAP will drive our continuing journey of reconciliation by formalising the work that many of our people already do and drawing together people from across our workforce in a considered and positive process of engagement, reflection, and action.
Corporate Giving and Partnerships
IGO provides targeted assistance to a range of community-based programs with an emphasis on education and capacity building for Indigenous and non-Indigenous groups across urban, regional and disadvantaged communities. Corporate Giving is important to both our host communities and our employees. It is about more than donations, it is about meaningful engagement. Our Corporate Giving process is guided by our Corporate Giving Standard. This standard describes who is eligible to apply for IGO Corporate Giving and the application and award processes. IGO reports on its Corporate Giving activities in our annual Sustainability Report. Please see below details of some of the projects IGO has recently supported:
IGO are proud to support the incredible work of Earbus Foundation of Western Australia – a WA-based children's charity that works to reduce the impact of middle ear disease in Aboriginal and at-risk children so they can reach their full potential through listening and learning.
We are able to to help Earbus deliver multiple visits to the Esperance and Norseman region, where we see firsthand the valuable work they do and how critical it is for remote communities. Following the success of these trips, we have committed to supporting Earbus for the next three years. This will enable them to deliver six trips each year and continue the care of existing children under their service, as well as allow an expansion of the existing program to reach more children.
IGO’s partnership with the CoRE Learning Foundation began in 2020, with IGO providing funding to enable a hands-on learning program based on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) principles to be implemented at Norseman District High School and Coolgardie Primary School.
In 2021, IGO and the CoRE Learning Foundation took the partnership further by connecting our people on the IGO Graduate Program with Norseman District High School students.
The CoRE Learning Foundation and IGO Graduates Hands-On Learning Program involves regular visits to Norseman District High School to provide mentoring opportunities for our Graduates while encouraging STEM and mining-related education and participation for CoRE secondary students.
During these visits, the students are shown how improved literacy, numeracy and digital competencies can be used daily in their everyday working life, giving students an insight into real-world interactive and project-based learning, which is applicable to future job and career opportunities while also exposing them to the benefits of a career in the mining and resources industry.
CoRE Graduate Students at Nova
IGO was proud to partner with the RFDS and have supported their Altitude Ball and now support their Flying Doctor Day as a giving partner.
The RFDS provides fast, free, and efficient care to the furthest corners of WA, ensuring everyone has skilled and caring doctors and nurses to help them look after their health, and to treat them during emergencies.
IGO is proud to be a supporter of Ronald McDonald House Charities WA (RMHCWA) since 2017 when we first became an Adopt-A-Room Partner. Since then, we have been pleased to watch our partnership grow. Since 2019, IGO have been the major sponsor for the Up All Night walking marathon.
We are so proud to be able to support them over the years and more so in these uncertain times. The support that Ronald McDonald House provides to everyday Australians in their time of need should not be understated. Some of our own employees and their families have directly benefited from their services and there is always a keen interest from our people to get involved by cooking meals for the Home for Dinner program or Lovin from the Oven or walking 42km for the Up All Night event. We look forward to continuing our relationship with RMHCWA, and together, making a difference to WA families whilst helping our future generations.
The Cannery Arts Centre is a not-for-profit community arts centre in Esperance that runs KICKARTS, a school holiday program for children aged between the ages of 6 and 17. These programs increase children’s exposure to the arts and this participation in cultural activities is shown to increase mental health and general wellbeing. Following the success of the program in 2019, IGO has continued to support all four upcoming programs. These programs are a great opportunity for regional children to engage in an arts-based education and IGO are proud that we can provide the support to run these programs for the children.
Esperance Senior Highschool
IGO places great importance on developing future generations and are proud to support Esperance Senior High School’s STEM program for academically talented students in 2020.
The STEM program is offered to a group of talented year 9 and 10 students and runs outside of the normal science program. Without the support of IGO, the high school would not be able to offer such a fantastic program which will support students to develop creative and innovative solutions to environmental issues in the Esperance region.
Madalah offers scholarships for Indigenous students from remote and regional communities to Western Australia’s leading boarding schools and universities. IGO has been supporting Madalah for over four years and has been the major sponsor of the Madalah Ball for the last two, and again pledged to be a Corporate Partner of the Ball this year. As a consequence of COVID-19, Madalah had to cancel the Ball in 2020. Although the Ball did not go ahead, IGO recognised this funding was more crucial than ever and redirected the funding to be used for the continued support of their existing students which enabled Madalah to offer an additional eight scholarship opportunities in 2020 for Secondary and Tertiary education. IGO has continued its support of MADALAH into 2022.
The Girls Academy program at Esperance Senior High School helps provide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls with the necessary tools to engage in their education and achieve their goals. IGO continued its support for the program during the year and also supported students from St Catherine’s College Dandjoo Darbalung Program (that IGO also supports), to visit Esperance Senior High School to share their stories about university with the students.
During the year, IGO entered into a three-year agreement with the Clontarf Foundation to support Clontarf’s Esperance and Kalgoorlie career programs for young Aboriginal men. Clontarf has a proven positive impact on improving the education, self-esteem, life skills and employment prospects for participants.
St Bart's 
In 2023, IGO announced a new partnership with St Bart's to support vulnerable Western Australians facing homelessness, mental health challenges, trauma or hardship.
St Bart's is a leading not-for-profit organisation in perth which provides accomodation and outreach services to those experiencing homlessness in WA.
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