Reconciliation Action Plan | BALARINJI Indigenous Design and Strategy

Kimberly-Clark is committed and recognises the importance of reconciliation, and engaged Balarinji to create and design its first Reconciliation Action Plan.

The design of the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was inspired by artwork from Gavin Wanganeen, a descendent of the Kokatha people of the Western Desert in South Australia. The Kokatha people hold the Tjukipa (lore) and have a strong connection to Country, the night sky and stories in the stars – a source of inspiration for Gavin’s work.

As a global business, Kimberly-Clark has a goal to positively impact the lives of 1 billion people by 2030, while halving its environmental impact.

Supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and working towards reconciliation are goals that thread across three key areas – from how Kimberly-Clark creates inclusive and diverse workplaces, to how it engages with local communities and supports the marginalised, and how to advocate for equality.

Kimberly-Clark is also aware of the impact its business has on the environment, and thereby the Traditional Custodians of Australia, and the organisation is working to reduce this.

Gavin Wanganeen explains, “Imagine you are sitting in the highest point of the universe, looking down through the stars to Country. From this viewpoint, you can glimpse the whole world, and see the evolution of the Kimberly-Clark brand in their 150 year history, almost 100 years in Australia. The green represents the forestry around the Millicent mill, which sits on Bungandidj Country. Looking through the stars are the many local wild flowers and scrub native to the South-East region, and other regions around Australia. The flora, so important in supporting the lifecycles of local fauna as well as people and industry, also represents the Kimberly-Clark ethos of supporting people through all stages of life. The circles seen over the painting and amongst the stars, represent the six sites across Australia in Millicent, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide as well as some of the other sites amongst the 175 locations where Kimberly-Clark has a presence around the world.”