“Respect, inclusion and allyship”: how Microsoft is leading from the heart this National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is an opportunity for us all to reflect on the ongoing contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and acknowledge the role we can each play in building a reconciled nation.??

We still have a long way to go, and there will be some difficult and important conversations on the road ahead. The nation finds itself in the midst of these conversations right now as we consider the Voice to Parliament referendum, along with rising incidents of racial abuse against Indigenous Australians.

At Microsoft, we believe the most important thing we can do is to show up for those conversations, listen to the valuable perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and reflect on our own behaviours and beliefs.?

This week, I sat down with Tanya Hosch, Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy with the Australian Football League (AFL). She’s also a prominent social activist and business executive and was the joint campaign manager of the ‘Recognise’ campaign run by Reconciliation Australian from 2012 to 2016.??

We talked about Sir Douglas Nicholls, the first Aboriginal Australian to receive a knighthood in 1972 for his contributions to football, politics and social justice. His legacy is incredible, and part of celebrating it is acknowledging the horrifying racial abuse he suffered during his career.?

Sadly, that kind of racial discrimination is not yet far behind us. I was reminded of the harsh experiences football legend Adam Goodes shared with us at Microsoft’s 2022 inclusive event and realise there is much more work to be done.?

Tanya put it best when she said: “We want those in the stadium and watching from home to be proud of our nation’s Indigenous history – proud of the contributions Indigenous people have made in the past and that they make to this day”.?

This message is urgently relevant to the wider discussion we are having as Australians in the run-up to the Voice to Parliament referendum.?

According to Tanya, the number one reason that referendums fail is because people are misinformed. Organisations like Microsoft therefore have an opportunity and responsibility to make sure our people and partners are well equipped and informed.?

Our commitment to this debate includes running information sessions on the referendum and publicising where people can find the resources they need to improve their understanding of constitutional change. In particular, we have pointed our people towards an educational resource from the team behind yes23.com.au, which we’ve incorporated into our Microsoft learning management system, Viva Learning.?

We are also continuing to champion our wider commitment to First Nations rights and inclusivity. That commitment includes developing solutions with customers and partners that can improve social outcomes for Indigenous Australians, such as the Modis Yarning app, the weavr app and DrumBeat.ai. It also includes skilling initiatives designed to build pathways to opportunity and employability like the First Nations Digital Careers Program and Indigital’s Minecraft for Education program. In addition, it means working alongside Indigenous researchers and scientists to create inclusive and sustainable technology, such as the work we’re doing with CSIRO through the Healthy Country AI program.??

Tanya also believes it is the responsibility of companies like Microsoft to be transparent about our values. Our message has and always will be one of respect, inclusion and allyship. The decision we are being asked to make is a profound one and reaches into the very core of who we are as a nation. We will continue to provide a workplace that encourages complex conversations with nuance, understanding and empathy and to provide a workplace that remains a safe place for all.??