We look after one another and work together to achieve our goals
Our Effective Organisation Driver is focused on building the right culture, workforce capability, continuous improvement and governance to deliver our purpose and meet our stakeholder expectations. An engaged and committed workforce plays a key role in this, and in Port Waratah’s success in an increasingly uncertain and disrupted environment.
Port Waratah’s reward and recognition programme, ‘Celebrate Success’ resulted in more than 351 recognitions and celebrations of success in 2023. Of these, 55 people were recognised as ‘Top Achievers’ for their contributions to safety and environmental improvements, and customer service.
We have ongoing commitment to developing early careers. In 2023, we supported 16 apprentices, five scholarship students, five graduates and three trainees.
Key Achievements
- Sustained early career development with 29 graduates, scholarships, apprentices and trainees.
- Female employees increased by 7 to 56, representing 16.9% of employees compared to 15.4% last year.
Throughout the year all employees take part in employee performance and career development discussions including opportunities for formal training and development programmes. In 2023, employees attended 5,221 online and face-to-face courses and 19 leadership training programmes and events.
Our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy actions in 2023 focused on embedding inclusive culture and careers through programmes, projects and initiatives like Women in Mining Mentoring Programme, International Women’s Day, International Men’s Day, R U OK? Day and Inclusion at Work Week.
Our vision for reconciliation is an inclusive and equitable future for all First peoples in the communities of the Hunter Region in which we operate. In 2023, The Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group progressed Port Waratah’s Reflect RAP with Reconciliation Australia for implementation in 2024.
Case Study
Celebrate Success Event
As part of our Celebrate Success Programme, our inaugural annual Celebrate Success Event was held in February. The event was open to all employees to attend and celebrate success through service and outstanding contributions made by employees in 2022.
During the night, eight Outstanding Contributors were recognised for their significant contributions in 2022 and 15 team members were recipients of significant service milestone awards.
During the event, all attendees voted on an overall Values Champion for the year with Darrell Kelly, Advanced Operator – Operations Delivery Carrington, and Michelle Winney, Customer Coordinator – Service Assurance, announced as the winners on the night.
Teammate Freya Franklin, Senior Process Improvement Business Partner – Service Assurance, recognised Darrell and Michelle for their work with Mission to Seafarers to arrange special care packs for a vessel crew from Ukraine.
Freya said, “It was a great demonstration of our caring value for everyone onboard”.
Case Study
The Graduate Network
Our graduate employees have joined Port Waratah as their first employment role following their university graduation. To increase support for graduates working in the Kooragang Island industrial precinct, Port Waratah, together with NCIG, Orica and Port of Newcastle established a Newcastle-based Graduate Network this year. It provides opportunities for graduates to build relationships, experience different work environments and roles, and increase their understanding of local industry and port partners.
Port Waratah hosted the participating graduates for a site tour, lunch and networking event in December. The graduate network will continue with visits to Orica and NCIG in 2024, offering insights into their operations, roles, and enhancing our graduate network relations.
Tayla Cummings, a Graduate Mechanical Engineer at Orica said about the first event, “It was a great to see how Port Waratah operates and the chance to connect with other graduates. The experience also showed me the different paths you can take with the same qualifications.”
Case Study
Employee Development Days: Progress Pursuit
Port Waratah’s annual Employee Development Days incorporated a new format this year, taking the form of a team-based ‘Progress Pursuit’. On each of the four development days held in November and December, eight teams (32 teams total) competed in Port Waratah values-themed activities designed to strengthen connections to our customers, community, and teammates. The winning team of each day was awarded a $1,000 donation to their chosen charity.
Highlights from teams included “learning more about the challenges of seafarers and the great work we support through Mission to Seafarers”, “Winning the golf putting challenge”, “Getting to know other team members from across the business” and “hearing and watching values stories come to life through live illustrations”.
One of the activities involved teams sharing stories linked to Port Waratah’s values with graphical recorders visually capturing the stories with illustrations as they were shared.
Case Study
Strengthening relationships with First Nations communities and employees
For the first time, smoking ceremonies were held onsite at Port Waratah. A Smoking Ceremony is an ancient Aboriginal custom which has cleansing properties and the ability to ward off bad spirits. It is a tradition that has been performed by Aboriginal people for centuries and is one of the oldest ceremonies practiced in the world today.
Smoking ceremonies took place at both the mid-year CEO briefing at the Kooragang Terminal and the year-end CEO briefing the Carrington Terminal. At the mid-year briefing close to 100 employees attended the significant event with all employees invited to be cleansed by the smoke following a business update.
Worimi man and artist Gavin Kelly from the Maiangal clan held the Welcome to Country in the Gathang language before conducting the ceremony.
At the year-end briefing in December, David Newham, Indyamarra Cultural Education’s Lead Aboriginal Cultural Educator, conducted the ceremony. David is a member of Port Waratah’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Working Group and has provided significant value to Port Waratah in the development of the RAP.
