Respectful workplace taskforce update

In 2022, Thiess established their Healthy, Safe & Respectful Workplace Policy, which focuses on keeping everyone safe, both physically and psychologically, every day. The purpose of the policy is upheld by the active Respectful Workplace Taskforce.

The taskforce comes together on a regular basis to embed respectful workplace behaviours and values into company culture, and empower leaders and people to create and maintain healthy, safe and respectful workplaces at all projects, sites and offices. It does this by implementing new campaigns and developing new governance tools to support the business’ progress in creating a respectful workplace.

The taskforce is co-chaired by our Head of Health, Safety & Security Mark Bartlett, and former General Counsel and now current Group Manager of Risk, Assurance & Governance Trish Lewis, and consists of functional leaders from Health & Safety, Diversity & Inclusion, People, Legal, and Communication. In 2023, we focused on developing and implementing a Respectful Workplace Standard to mandate the way the Group manages and achieves a respectful workplace for all their people.

The Respectful Workplace Standard and Complaints and Investigations Standard consolidated and replaced a range of governance documents. Together, they establish the standards of behaviour expected to eliminate occurrences of bullying, harassment and discrimination as well as identifying our independent complaints and investigation handling processes.

In 2023 the taskforce also:
• drafted and obtained Board approval for the launch of the Respectful Workplace Standard
• completed an initial Thiess Global Respectful Workplace Risk Assessment – a baseline assessment undertaken to identify key areas of potential risk and response action
• integrated respectful workplace requirements and terminology into the global Health & Safety Management System
• established respectful workplace officers and peer support network (see case study in Employee wellbeing and development)
• delivered Creating Respectful Workplaces and Mental Health training.

The Respectful Workplace Taskforce will continue its efforts across the Group in 2024 to support the minimum standards set by the Respectful Workplace Standard by:
• increasing the transparency of the learnings from respectful workplace events through our event sharing processes
• finalising the Global Respectful Workplace Risk Assessment and cascading it to regional and site level risk assessment processes.