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Acknowledgement of Country

A.G. Coombs acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities.

We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past, present and emerging.

Message from our Managing Director

We are proud to present our 2023-2025 Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan. This plan builds upon many of the wonderful initiatives that are already embedded in our company while advancing our strong commitment to industry leadership in Environmental, Social and Governance activities.

As our journey continues, we remain committed to reinforcing and extending our partnerships with many social value enterprises, collaboration partners and the broader community in creating meaningful employment opportunities as well as implementing decisive actions to deliver the best social, cultural and participation outcomes.

The Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan also provides the opportunity to build on, leverage and extend the existing educational and development programs that are well established at the A.G. Coombs Group.

With our extremely well structured Work Placement, Apprenticeship and Graduate programs as well as a vast array of Leadership Development programs under the A.G. Coombs Leadership Academy framework, we also recognise that embracing and empowering people regardless of their culture, beliefs, gender or sexuality makes clear sense from a business perspective. It is equally a corporate responsibility.

Importantly, our Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan fully integrates with our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) which has underpinned the development and strengthening of relationships, and engagement of staff and stakeholders in the reconciliation journey with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

We also acknowledge many of our personnel as well as a number of collaboration partners who have provided leadership, support and guidance in the development of this Action Plan, while also challenging us in developing measurable targets and activities that will ensure we are successful in our endeavours to have strength and high performance through diversity & inclusion.

We are extremely pleased to launch our Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan to our employees, clients, stakeholders and the wider communities that we are connected to through the many aspects of our work. We look forward to communicating our progress along the journey.

Russell F. Telford Managing Director

A.G. Coombs Group

Message from our Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair

The A.G. Coombs Group of Companies has always shown leadership in all facets of its technical operations, personal and professional development of its employees and living by its progressive cultural values.

The development of our first dedicated Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan is another step forward in our long history of working with stakeholders and the community to evolve what is largely a traditional industry with recognised gaps in representation from specific groups.

With the women’s participation rate in the sector sitting at 15%*, we cannot ignore the diversity & inclusion challenges that lay ahead, nor our responsibility to be advocates and industry trailblazers in this space.

The Advancement of Women — one of the 3 key pathways this plan focuses on, together with Working with All Abilities and the A.G. Coombs Indigenous Pathway — is an area in which I feel particularly invested, having experienced the benefits women bring to organisations when they have the opportunity to participate and thrive.

As Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee, it is my role to drive the terms of reference for the Plan’s decision-making processes. By unifying key leaders within the organisation, our aim is to ensure that the Plan’s actions and outcomes maximise the benefits for A.G. Coombs and its stakeholders and serve as the cornerstone of our strategic direction.

Embarking on this journey with my fellow Committee members, the Board and the entire A.G. Coombs organisation is a great honour and the perfect way to demonstrate our strength, leadership and resolve to enable greater participation by all in the Building Services industry.

Kerry Ryan Non-Executive Board Member Diversity & Inclusion Committee Chair

A.G. Coombs Group

Foreword — Aaron Clark

The A.G. Coombs Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan represents our Group of Companies’ commitment to ensuring that the voices of our diverse workplace, communities and stakeholders are heard.

This living and

breathing

document puts forward a clear set of targeted actions to guide, inform and enable our organisation moving forward.

Bringing the Plan to life will advance our commitment towards greater equity and equality. Delivering its actions will build on the solid foundation that A.G. Coombs has established, with successes already accomplished in a number of key areas, including anchoring and supporting our First Nations peoples through the 2023-25 Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan. We are deepening our connection with First peoples and expanding our framework to encapsulate all diversity & inclusion groups.

We strive to build a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve, including differences in race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, nationality and socio-economic background.

In creating this Diversity & Inclusion Plan, our aim is to see it flow through everything we do, so it becomes business as usual and intrinsic to who we are. From there, it is our hope that the ripple effect will inspire our staff, subcontractors and suppliers to share and walk this journey with us — changing attitudes and perceptions beyond our immediate business.

Diversity with strong leadership creates some of the best performing organisations in the world. Together we aspire to lead by example and work towards a more unified and inclusive industry.

Aaron Clark Executive Leader — Social Procurement, Inclusion & Engagement

A.G. Coombs Group

Our Vision

Strength & high performance through diversity & inclusion

Strength and high performance through diversity & inclusion remains at the core of our future success in being the leading specialist provider of building engineering services in Australia.

We are passionate about embracing diversity & inclusion across all aspects of our business within the A.G. Coombs Group of Companies and the industries we lead. We will continue to build upon our foundation and further expand our inclusive organisational culture throughout our workforce and integrated supply chain to ensure that we continue to embrace and empower our people regardless of their culture, beliefs, gender, abilities or sexuality.

We are proud of the leadership role we have played as a company within our sphere of influence. We will continue to listen, learn and work in partnership to create a welcoming and safe environment by providing meaningful and sustained employment pathways, social procurement opportunities and purposeful engagement with communities in which we live and operate.

Our culture is our people and particularly our leadership people. Our team needs to trust and respect each other. We need people who are closely aligned but not necessarily the same.

Our Business

A.G. Coombs is Australia’s Leading Building Services Specialist

Our core business is in the provision of whole-of-life Building Services with an integrated range of technical services for all systems in buildings, from advice and design through to installation, commissioning, maintenance, and ongoing operation & management.

We specialise in the areas of Air Conditioning and Mechanical Services, Fire Protection, Hydraulics, Electrical Services, Lighting and Building Control Technologies.

Established in 1945, the A.G. Coombs Group is a proud, privately-owned Australian company that has built an enviable reputation for quality, service and innovation. We stand at the forefront of the industry with the skills and resources necessary to handle the most complex and demanding Building Services challenges.

The A.G. Coombs Group employs over 1,000 people across a broad yet specialist range of disciplines and they are all experts in what they do.

High quality staff are our major strength. The company’s long-standing policy of attracting and developing the best continues to reinforce a reputation that A.G. Coombs is “the place to work.”

This is reflected in our commitment to training and workplace safety, which has made us the industry leader in these areas.

We have a wide range of occupations across locations throughout Australia, ensuring that no matter where you are, we always offer the best in service delivery via our full range of integrated capabilities.

Over the course of our long history in the Building Services industry, the A.G. Coombs Group of Companies has been involved in many of Australia’s major buildings, precinct developments and facilities.

We have well-established industry networks and client relationships, and as an industry leader, our connection with our external stakeholders is strong. We are actively engaged in local, state, national and global industry associations, committees, working groups and regulatory bodies, in chair, director and member roles.

Our clients are in key industry sectors including healthcare, education, commercial, telecommunications & data centres, defence, government, arts & culture, transport & infrastructure and pharmaceutical.

A.G. Coombs Group is focused on engaging with these industry and client communities as a core function of all our operations. Our approach to interacting and engaging with these stakeholders is based upon a fundamental understanding that we are all part of the communities in which we operate.

Action Plan Statement

EXCELLENCE THROUGH PEOPLE

Our People Are Our Greatest Assets

We strive to embrace diversity & inclusion at all stages of the employment cycle, from recruitment, selection and onboarding, to accessing training and professional development opportunities for meaningful and purposeful career paths.

Not only do we want to attract new talent from different backgrounds, we want to support our existing employees to further develop their careers at A.G. Coombs and achieve their best.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued, respected and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives.

Strength & high performance through diversity & inclusion

Key Strategic Themes

A.G. Coombs’ diversity & inclusion policy states the organisation’s commitment to ensuring an equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace.

It aims to promote a welcoming, diverse, discrimination-free and harassment-free workplace and highlight the values and best practices that the organisation prioritises.

A diversity & inclusion policy is also known as a diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) policy.

1. Voice & Participation

2. Gender Equity — Advancement of Women

3. Inclusive, Safe & Accessible Support Services

4. Advocacy Leadership & Partnerships

5. A Diverse, Aware & Thriving Workforce (Pathways)

Key Inclusions

We recognise that diversity & inclusion are essential pillars of our corporate ethos and strategic direction.

Our Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan represents a comprehensive framework which provides an integrated approach to strengthen our commitment to diversity & inclusion across all facets of our operations, including:

Integration with our upgraded structure of ESG reporting

Governance & implementation framework

Diversity & inclusion working groups

Partnerships & external advisory support

Education & awareness programs

Integration with Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)

Key Pathways

After careful consideration and consultation, we have narrowed the focus of this Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan to 3 Key Pathways. The identified programs will allow us to concentrate on areas which we feel will provide the greatest possible impact in transitioning and transforming our organisation.

The Key Pathways are:

Indigenous Pathways

Advancement of Women

People of All Abilities

Indigenous Pathways

We are committed to working with our partners and the communities we serve to create an industry that offers meaningful and sustained employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our aim is to provide First Nations people who are interested in the sector with rewarding and successful careers.

Our A.G. Coombs Pathways program is a dedicated initiative that increases opportunities for sustainable Indigenous employment participation through work experience, apprenticeships, entry-level positions and graduate placements.

We work closely with established networks within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to identify and procure from Indigenous-owned businesses, suppliers and manufacturers, and partner with a wide range of First Nations-led organisations — from sporting clubs to cultural and educational facilities — in the form of sponsorship and ongoing support.

Advancement of Women People of All Abilities

With a sizeable disparity between male and female participation rates in our industry, we recognise the role we must play in trying to change the status quo. It is our mission to lead by example and establish real and tangible ways to close this gap.

We place a strong emphasis on equity in all workplace positions and actively encourage women to apply for every role within the organisation. We currently employ a number of female apprentices in mechanical plumbing, refrigeration, electrical, sprinkler fitting, as well as drafting and modelling trainees. We also have a growing cohort of female engineers and other professions in our Graduate program.

As a proud member of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), we continue to promote opportunities and advocate for female participation across the business and our industry as a whole.

Changing people’s perceptions about disability is only the first step in ensuring equal opportunity for all employees within our workplace and the wider industry.

Focusing on what our employees can do rather than what they can’t do, we are dedicated to opening up greater employment options for people of all abilities. We provide employees with the latest technology, tools and training to create a barrier-free workplace, including leadership and career growth programs.

We are proud to play a positive role in supporting the employment of people with disability and understand that sustainable, meaningful employment can change lives and add significant value to our organisation.

Journeys

Every A.G. Coombs employee has a story — an individual account of how they got there, what they have experienced and how the company has impacted their life both personally and professionally. The common denominator is always the support they have received from their colleagues and the leadership team to harness every opportunity and achieve their goals.

A.G. Coombs’ commitment to diversity & inclusion is inherent in its values and actions as it continually strives to create greater equity, not only among its own workforce, but across the industry in general.

Our people are our own best ambassadors, and it is their stories that demonstrate the way we live our ideals and grow our business to be one where a candidate will always be considered for a role — no matter their age, level of ability, ethnicity, cultural background, beliefs or gender.

Diversity is an integral part of the success of A.G. Coombs. It is a meaningful way that we as a company express ourselves as individuals and as a cohesive team — learning from each other and positively impacting the clients we serve.

Getting to know a few of our team members provides insights into who we are as an organisation and what we believe in.

Lauren Campbell

Multi-award-winning service technician

What began as Year 12 work experience in 2016 has evolved into a rewarding profession and a trajectory that promises even more to come. From apprentice to multi-award-winning service technician and mentor to others, Lauren’s pathway has been filled with personal growth and development.

Brisbane-based, Lauren admits she knew very little about Building Services when she began her apprenticeship, but being employed directly by an industry leader has exposed her to the diversity of her trade and countless opportunities to excel.

In addition to completing her studies and becoming qualified as an air conditioning and refrigeration technician, she has participated in a wide range of training – from finance and building fundamentals to project management and communications. Each one represents a helpful stepping stone in her career.

Being a female in a traditionally male-dominated industry has never been an issue at A.G. Coombs. In fact, quite the contrary.

Lauren’s supervisors have always encouraged her to pursue every opportunity and she credits her former manager with pushing through the gender gap to actively seek out more female apprentices.

Perhaps the only thing that has stood in her way is her own mindset and level of confidence – being able to take charge and feel confident in her ability and knowledge. While she agrees that there is still a long way to go in terms of gender equity across the sector, she now sees so many women on site – across every trade and that is something which makes her happy.

By providing Lauren with the structure, support and encouragement throughout her apprenticeship and now in her professional career, she has gained a greater assurance that the career she loves is perfect for her — and she is great at it. She feels empowered to excel and is confident that she will achieve her aspiration of becoming a team leader and senior manager with the company in the years ahead.

Russell Telford, Managing Director, A.G. Coombs Group

“The hardest thing for me is admitting that I am good enough. A.G. Coombs is always there for me — the lines of communication are always open and I know they have my back. They trust me across every facet of working with clients and I really enjoy that aspect of the job, taking ownership of a contract and having pride in the outcome,” Lauren commented.

“My advice to others considering a career in Mechanical and Building Services with A.G. Coombs is this: The worst thing that can happen is that you have a trade under your belt! You learn so much about communication and working with all kinds of people, broadening yourself as a person. The best that can happen is you become the Managing Director. The opportunities are endless,” she added.

Journeys

Rainbow Ebert

Indigenous mechanical plumbing apprentice

When Rainbow left school in 2017, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. While she originally considered an electrical apprenticeship, once she was placed with A.G. Coombs, she knew she had found her calling and mechanical plumbing was the career she wanted to pursue.

Melbourne-based, Rainbow was attracted to the company because it offered so many options — being on the tools, office work, drafting, estimating and project management. She was also aware of A.G. Coombs’ reputation as a champion of Indigenous reconciliation and community initiatives.

As an apprentice, Rainbow has had the opportunity to work across various sectors including educational, commercial, government and industrial projects continually learning and growing her skills. From her first day, she felt welcomed and part of a strongly united team. Rainbow loves that she is exposed to such a wide range of working environments, gaining experience with pipe work and mechanical services on major high rises, as well as in plant rooms and cooling tower enclosures.

When Rainbow comfirmed her pregnancy, she became the company’s second female apprentice to do so and although the learning curve for her supervisor may have initially been steep, the team was so accommodating, and Rainbow felt protected and respected. From changing job sites to cut her commute, to constant check ins regarding her level of comfort with on-site tasks, Rainbow’s entire experience was a positive one.

She really enjoys the hands-on approach and what she calls a “non-stop training process” that includes report writing, asbestos safety, bullying and diversity awareness — with each course adding to her skills development and personal growth journey.

Rainbow’s greatest challenge in the workplace is learning to find her voice and speak up about issues she might be uncomfortable with. This is something she is working on and although she has not personally experienced any discrimination, she is acutely aware of how important it is for people to feel confident to speak up.

It means a lot to me to work for a company that has such a genuine and positive attitude towards Indigenous employment and lends its support to Aboriginal causes and communities around the country. It feels like we are making a difference in people’s lives. That authenticity is reflected across A.G. Coomb’s values and actions.

Rainbow Ebert

She describes working with A.G. Coombs as “the best decision I’ve ever made.”

“I would definitely tell people to just go for it. You get looked after so well — and although I’ve never worked for another company in our industry and don’t have anything to compare it to — I feel that A.G. Coombs is the best place for me to be now and into the future, where I see myself as still on the tools, still learning and potentially working as a leading hand for a site supervisor,” she added.

1 Voice & Participation

We require full participation of all our employees, partners and community members to ensure our Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan is achievable and successful. We need inclusion, diversity and equity to be a consistent experience for everyone.

Actions

Review our policy and guidelines around accessibility to ensure they meet the relevant standards and objectives of this plan.

Review the procurement policy, guidelines and checklist to include accessibility standards and requirements when working with external suppliers and partners.

Create an ongoing consultation process with our female employees to address issues affecting the attraction, retention and progression of women within the A.G. Coombs Group of Companies.

Formalise an internal diversity calendar of events and celebrate events of significance.

Formalise a consultation process for our employees with a disability to ensure that accessibility issues are identified and addressed. Establish a centralised process to collate and collect feedback and responses.

Ensure diversity is considered on all key internal and external panels, planning and development working groups and committees.

Educate our employees on the importance of gender pronouns to facilitate an inclusive workplace including updating our systems.

Communicate the 4 factors of inclusion — Respect, Belonging, Empowerment and Fair Progression.

Create an understanding across the organisation of the 4 layers/dimensions of diversity — Organisational, External, Internal and Individual.

Create a process to regularly communicate Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) results and outcomes.

2 Gender Equity — Advancement of Women

A.G. Coombs is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where females feel valued, respected and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. This commitment is not just demonstrated through our policies, but importantly through our actions, with females actively participating in our apprenticeship and engineering graduate programs, and holding contract and operational management positions, and senior and executive management roles within our organisation.

Through our membership with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC), the Facilities Management Association (FMA), AIRAH and the Air Conditioning & Mechanical Contractors Association of Australia (AMCA) Women in HVAC Committee, we actively support initiatives that encourage and empower women to pursue careers in construction, property services, engineering and related fields.

Actions

Increase the representation of women at all levels in the organisation, recognising that it operates in a traditionally male-dominated environment.

Put measures in place to ensure the selection and promotion process is fair and equitable.

Provide regular training and ongoing education, support and advocacy for the prevention of domestic violence (Partnering with Our Watch Institute). Incorporate training into our inductions and onboarding process.

Provide our leaders and employees with training to help them identify those experiencing domestic and family violence.

Continue to educate and communicate to employees their entitlement to government-paid domestic and family violence leave (Fair Work / National Employment Standards).

Further develop our framework that supports flexible working arrangements including part time and job sharing for those employees returning to work.

Update our parental leave policy to reflect best practice and leverage it to promote shared caring responsibilities for families.

Implement a support network / committee to ensure women thrive in their positions.

Identify suitable attendees for relevant industry functions offered each year which encourage the advancing and networking of women.

Identify, nurture and support the career progression of our female employees to enable increased representation at all levels of management.

Continue to report (WGEA), measure and improve gender pay equity. Establish a committee to ensure accountability.

Implement a process to promote and communicate “Women in Trade” initiatives to assist with increasing our intake of female tradespeople.

3 Inclusive, Safe & Accessible Support Services

Whilst A.G. Coombs’ Diversity & Inclusion Plan captures clear and tangible actions, the plan is underpinned with a comprehensive framework of inclusive, safe and accessible support services for our employees. Within this framework, we have developed specific actions which cover a range of initiatives as listed below.

We will continuously evaluate and enhance our support services based on employee feedback, industry best practices and emerging trends in diversity & inclusion. Our goal is to adapt and evolve our framework to meet the changing needs of our workforce.

Actions

Develop and implement a suite of immersion experiences relevant to diversity & inclusion for our employees to engage with and learn from each year.

Review, develop and implement a suite of training programs to ensure employees have relevant knowledge in D&I topics such as anti-racism, cultural intelligence, unconscious bias and inclusive leadership, as well as an understanding of different focus communities.

Incorporate a component in the employee performance review process that identifies how staff can contribute to social impact and sustainability work, including how they contribute to the Diversity & Inclusion Action Plan.

Understand the visible and invisible accessibility requirements of our employees.

Empower our employees to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing by providing appropriate training and support mechanisms.

Provide mental health first aid training to our managers to equip them with the necessary skills to assist their teams.

Continue to utilise the Employee Assistance Program which provides specific support for our employees and annually review to ensure it is fit for purpose.

Promote an age-inclusive culture (ageless employer) – our workforce is not based on age, but on talent, skills, experience and willingness to work.

Promote the Transition to Retirement program and communicate entitlements for mature-aged employees by providing access to advice on superannuation and retirement information sessions.

Develop a series of videos/podcasts sharing “real” stories from A.G. Coombs employees which demonstrate the importance of conscious decision-making in our daily interactions.

4 Advocacy Leadership & Partnerships

We are committed to utilising our position, influence and platform as industry leaders to improve the outcomes of our Diversity & Inclusion Plan and also leverage our partnerships and networks to ensure continuous learning and improvement.

Our approach to engaging and actively participating in the industry and community is grounded in the recognition that we are integral members of the broader Building Services community we operate within. This perspective informs all our interactions with industry stakeholders and the community, as evidenced by the following actions:

Actions

Investigate offering internship and work placement opportunities for those with a disability via our aligned partnerships.

Continue to support our AFLW partnership with Richmond Football Club.

Increase staff awareness of workplace issues around disability via our communication platforms and utilising our membership with Diversity Council Australia.

Formalise and introduce a volunteer program giving our employees an opportunity to support our diversity & inclusion priorities.

Influence our supply chain, subcontractors and industry associations to promote significant days such as International Day of People with Disability, R U Ok? Day and World Mental Health Day.

Partner with external subject-matter experts to bring best practice thinking to our company.

Identify new partnerships and opportunities for sourcing and recruiting employees with a disability.

5 A Diverse, Aware & Thriving Workforce (Pathways)

In Australia, over 4.4 million people have a disability and 2.1 million are of working age. Of those, there is currently an untapped market of 1 million people with a disability seeking employment.

Inclusive recruitment processes offer a wider reach into talent pools. With only 53%* of people with disability of working age employed, there is a vast number of talented, skilled and knowledgeable people who may be currently excluded from our recruitment process due to unintentional barriers. We have developed program Pathways to increase opportunities for sustainable employment participation through work experience, apprenticeships, entry level programs and graduate placements.

Actions

Integrate barrier-free recruitment processes that identify that our organisation is inclusive.

Actively seek opportunities to increase the representation of our employees from diverse backgrounds.

Continue to track our selection and promotion process to ensure it is fair for all applicants.

Review our recruitment advertising and language to encourage all types of applicants to cover all areas of diversity & inclusion.

Engage with industry associations to develop industry-supported plans to increase female workforce participation.

Review our recruitment and selection processes and policies to ensure they reflect the objectives of this plan, reduce the risk of unconscious bias and are equitable, inclusive and accessible by all.

Monitor the diversity of our workforce to assess the progress and effectiveness of this plan and to inform our workforce planning strategies.

Incorporate our Pathways program into the initial stages of recruitment to assist with breaking down the barriers which people with disability often face so that candidates with a disability who meet the requirements of the job will be guaranteed an interview.

Increase our understanding, value and recognition of all cultures, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures through our Learning Management System and other relevant programs including our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Actively seek opportunities to increase the representation of people from diverse backgrounds.

Afterword

Our Reconciliation Action Plan

As Australia’s Leading Building Services Specialist, we recognise our role in guiding the conversation and affecting the necessary change in the area of reconciliation. From our commencement, we have been committed to growing and maintaining a culturally and linguistically-diverse team of employees.

Our journey continues with the endorsement of our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) by Reconciliation Australia in 2023, that builds upon the foundations of our ‘Reflect’ RAP, which was an important first step in our journey towards reconciliation.

Our vision for reconciliation is to embed the recognition, acknowledgement, and celebration of the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians within the A.G. Coombs Group of Companies and the industries we lead.

We will continue to build upon our foundation of educating our staff about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and heritage, and to extend our current values of integrity, inclusion and diversity throughout our workforce and supply chain.

We are proud of the leadership role we have played as a company within our sphere of influence.

We will continue to listen and learn and work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to create a welcoming and safe environment by creating meaningful and sustained employment pathways, procurement and community engagement opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their communities in which we live and operate.

Discover more by visiting www.agcoombs.com.au/rap and downloading our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan.

More than One Story

By Michelle Kerrin