Engagement with First Nations communities

SEEK’s commitment to reconciliation

SEEK acknowledges Australia's and Aotearoa's (New Zealand's) shared history of colonisation and works to understand the current and historical trauma suffered by First Nations peoples — Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and Māori peoples. SEEK commits to listening extensively and continuously to First Nations peoples to identify ways in which it can play its part in addressing the consequences of this trauma, and strengthening First Nations people, businesses and communities.

The First Nations strategy is deeply aligned to SEEK's purpose: to help people live more fulfilling and productive working lives and help organisations succeed. In other words, SEEK cannot achieve its purpose without executing successfully against this strategy.

SEEK’s First Nations strategy (2024 – 2028)

SEEK's First Nations strategy (2024–2028) has three priorities that reflect SEEK's unique role as Australia's leading employment marketplace:

The strategy is delivered through a two-year implementation plans that have adapted and evolved as SEEK has listened and learned, ensuring good intentions have translated into meaningful action.

Cultural competence and inclusion

SEEK takes a leader-led approach to cultural learning, with learning rolled out across Australia and New Zealand delivered by Indigenous Advisers, and Cultural Walking Tours hosted by Traditional Elders. SEEK has also updated its ANZ Leave Policy to include Sorry Business (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) and Tangihanga (Māori) provisions within compassionate leave.

Over 67,000 hours of cultural learning have been rolled out across ANZ, including Cultural Confidence workshops and Acknowledgement of Country learning sessions. 95% of the Senior Leadership Team and approximately 65% of SEEK's ANZ employees have participated in cultural learning, with more than 80% of participants reporting increased cultural confidence. SEEK also delivered cultural events in line with National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week.

Partnerships with First Nations owned and operated businesses

SEEK is proactive in deepening relationships and increasing its spend with First Nations owned and operated businesses to support economic empowerment. SEEK has grown its investment in First Nations businesses year on year and continues to strengthen these partnerships.

Fulfilling careers for First Nations peoples

SEEK is committed to using its unique position as Australia's leading employment marketplace to break down barriers to employment for First Nations job seekers. SEEK has deployed product enhancements including Acknowledgement of Country on its websites, traditional (dual) place names on Company Profiles, and a dedicated First Nations information page.

SEEK's Breaking Down Barriers research, completed with an Indigenous-owned and run research firm, has been embedded into its strategy and used to shape the design of product enhancements.

Acknowledging Country: First Nations place names on SEEK Company Profiles

As part of SEEK's ongoing commitment to its First Nations Reconciliation Strategy, SEEK displays First Nations place names alongside mainstream location names on SEEK Company Profiles in Australia. This feature recognises the deep cultural, historical and enduring connection First Nations peoples have to Country and acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands where businesses operate.

For example, Melbourne is shown as Naarm, Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung Country. This feature also encourages the use of First Nations place names as part of everyday Australian language. SEEK is taking a phased approach, beginning with major cities and expanding to more locations over time.

Acknowledging Country is an important step in SEEK’s progress towards playing its part to understand barriers and improve access to meaningful and fulfilling careers with Australia’s First Nations peoples.

SEEK’s approach

At SEEK, we are not experts in reconciliation. We continuously work with First Nations advisors to keep learning. Our approach is informed by research and dialogue. We are guided by three key principles: ensuring that we are culturally informed, being honest about our limitations and not jumping quickly to easy answers. 

We welcome input and engagement with First Nations peoples and allies to improve our approach to sharing First Nations place names. If you have feedback or advice regarding the First Nations place name information that SEEK is using, please contact mailto:firstnationsplacenames@seek.com.au  as we continue to improve our approach.