Positive Contributions
Our founder, Dick Dusseldorp, created Lend Lease with visions of an innovative and responsible organisation that would be measured not just on its financial success, but also on its positive contribution to the environment and society. He also believed in treating all people with dignity and respect. More than 50 years later, that’s still where our focus remains.
Our contribution
For more than 50 years, our commitment to our people has extended way beyond our day-to-day business operations. Concern for, and pride in, the impact we have on the communities in which we operate continues to be a hallmark of the way we do business at Lend Lease. We are proud that so many of our employees regularly volunteer their time and expertise to help local communities.
We respect and encourage our employees' desire to be of value and to make a difference. In doing so, we believe they have a better understanding of how we, as an organisation, contribute to society. And of course, it has flow-on benefits for our business. It improves morale, encourages teamwork and develops leadership skills, all of which strengthen our business and enhance our reputation as an employer of choice.
Giving
Lend Lease and its employees support a range of causes. Financially in the last 12 months Lend Lease and its employees have made substantial cash donations to:-
- Premier’s Relief Appeal – supporting the Queensland floods in late 2010 and early 2011. Combined, Lend Lease and employees donated A$250,000.
- Red Cross Japan and Pacific Disaster Appeal – supporting the earthquake and Tsunami that occurred in Japan in March 2011. Combined, Lend Lease and employees donated A$133,000.
In both cases, Lend Lease matched dollar for dollar employee donations.
Diversity and Inclusion
We are as committed to diversity as we are to professional excellence, which is why we take great pride in a workforce that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we serve. It supports our growth through improved understanding of different cultures and encourages innovation through the sharing of different perspectives.
The way we treat each other is just as important as delivering value to our security holders. We promote a culture of respect, encouraging our employees to get involved and make a difference. We also celebrate diversity and inclusion, which we define as ‘All the ways in which we differ’, and strive to create workplaces where people are respected for who they are and what they do. We are focused on fairness and offering career development opportunities for our employees. And we’re always educating our employees about the importance of embracing differences
Each region has its own diversity council and a number of employee groups, which facilitate and encourage a diverse, collaborative and inclusive culture. We celebrate a number of key diversity events on the global calendar, including International Woman’s Day, International Day of Persons with Disabilities and World Day for Cultural Diversity.
Ultimately, we want to involve, support, respect and connect our people to help them reach their full potential. This improves engagement, promotes teamwork and develops leadership skills, which strengthens us as an organisation.
Foundation
Foundation’s community programs encourage employees to engage with the communities in which we interact, recognising our accountability for what we take, create and leave behind. Wherever possible, we support meaningful, long-term community partnerships that match the skills of our people with the needs of local communities. Foundations programs which support community causes and organisations include.
Springboard
Springboard brings employees from different cultures and businesses together for an intensive four-day personal development experience.
Springboard is structured to help employees deal with personal change, explore hidden potential, develop greater confidence and self-awareness and live a more sustainable life. The program is also designed to generate a positive legacy for our community partner. Mossman Community Centre is our current community partner. The Centre supports the Mossman region, located 75km north of Cairns.
Mossman Community Centre exists on minimal government funding, plus relies on the generosity of locals and businesses, donating cash, goods and services and volunteering at the Centre. Mossman Community Centre supports indigenous and non indigenous residents, many of whom struggle with literacy, finances, health and in many cases, basic needs like keeping food on the table each day. Around 300 employees participate across eight Springboard programs each year.
Community Day
Community Day was established in 1996 to provide Lend Lease people with the opportunity to give back to the communities in which we live and work. In line with our global focus on sustainability, Community Day projects address social, economic and environmental issues. Employees are encouraged to collaborate with a community organisation on projects that have geographic, personal and professional relevance.By matching their skills to a community project, we can contribute in a way that’s both meaningful and rewarding. Lend Lease employees have volunteered over 500,000 hours across many worthwhile community projects around the world, since 1996.
Community Grants
We strive to play a positive role in the community, and encourage our employees to do the same. Foundation’s ‘Community Grants’ program is a part of Lend Lease’s commitment to community sustainability, and ‘giving back’ to the communities in which we live and work.
Community Grants provide funding for a project or need of a community group in which employees are directly and significantly involved, both with time and effort.
Individuals or teams requesting Community Grants must be permanent employees of Lend Lease, with a minimum service of one year, and must have volunteered for that community organisation for at least one year, volunteering a minimum of 50 hours individual service.
Millers Point Youth & Employment Partnership, Australia
In collaboration with 12 other local organisations, we established the Millers Point Youth & Employment Partnership during the development of The Bond building – our Australian headquarters. The partnership runs a number of successful programs which support young people through mentoring, literacy and numeracy development, artistic and cultural expression and support through the transition from school to employment.
Whitelion
Lend Lease developed its relationship with Whitelion during the development of its Melbourne headquarters, The Gauge.
Whitelion opens doors to opportunities, relationships and community for young people involved in the Youth Justice System or at risk of involvement. This is achieved through role modelling, mentoring, employment and indigenous programs, outreach services, and through prevention programs run in rural and metropolitan communities.
In addition to fundraising for Whitelion programs, eight employees in Melbourne are accredited mentors and six young people have participated in training and job placement on project sites and in our offices. I addition to providing these essential opportunities to young people, the partnership with Whitelion has helped Lend Lease to develop the critical understanding, skills, and processes required to mentor and place a young person through sustainable employment.
Learn 2
During the development of the Rouse Hill Town Centre in Sydney’s West, Lend Lease helped to establish Learn2, a responsive and innovative shared learning space providing local people and businesses access to a range of formal and informal learning services. Learn2 provides its services to people of all ages and backgrounds and aims to assist individuals and businesses to learn new skills, discover new interests and make new friends.
Learn 2 has established itself in partnership with a number of different organisations including TAFE NSW - Western Sydney Institute, The Sydney Hills Business Chamber, JobQuest, North West Community College, Australian Business Limited Apprenticeship Centre and many more. With the help of these partners Learn2 hopes to deliver a safe, helpful and positive learning environment for the whole community.
Youth Challenge Australia
Lend Lease’s Project Management & Construction business has supported a young project manager to take up a volunteer position through Youth Challenge Australia in the Arnhem Land Region of Australia’s top end.
In addition to involvement in a number of youth development and community projects, this volunteer will mentor and guide a number of young Indigenous people through their education and training, with particular focus on the completion of their General Construction Certificate II.
He will share his experience with Lend Lease employees on his return, helping to build greater cultural understanding and awareness in the organisation as it embarks on the delivery of its Reconciliation Action Plan.
ACE Mentor Program
We’re a long-time supporter of the ACE Mentor Program, which uses mentoring, scholarships and grants to encourage high school students to pursue careers in the construction industry. Industry professionals – such as architects, interior designers, engineers, construction managers and developers – sign up to mentor high school students who get to work on ‘real-life’ design and construction projects. As well as gaining valuable practical experience and insights, students have the chance to win a scholarship or internship. Foundation has also awarded regular community grants to the summer design/build workshops offered under Illinois’ ACE Mentor Program. Operating as a paid internship, the workshops teach practical employment skills and college-level critical thinking, as well as giving students a financial incentive to get involved with their local communities.
Urban Green Council’s Green Construction Skills Training
We recently worked with the Urban Green Council to develop a construction skills training program for building trades and contractors in the New York City metropolitan area. Built on the expertise and experience of 100 volunteers from the city’s top building trades and contractors, the training program integrates workbook exercises, classroom lectures and hands-on activities relating to green building.
Fannie Battle Home, USA
Our Nashville employees are forging a strong community partnership with the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children. It’s America’s second oldest child care centre, and is focused on providing affordable child care for children at-risk. In 2009, a Nashville employee volunteered for a three year term as a Fannie Battle Board Director. And in 2010 a team of Lend Lease employees built a 'Victory Garden' on Earth Day, while another group ran in the Music City Marathon to raise funds for the centre.
Supporting the social and economic regeneration of communities is a key priority for Lend Lease throughout Europe and the Middle East. We were the first property company to achieve the Business in the Community (BiTC) CommunityMark, the UK’s only national standard for excellence in community investment. We were also one of only 35 to receive this award.
We invested the time and resources needed to gather information from across the organisation, not only to show how much we put into the community but also as a means of measuring our own performance in social responsibility. We also give back to the community through charitable programs and partnerships such as BeOnsite and the Pilotlight Partnership.
BeOnsite, UK
In 2007 Lend Lease established BeOnsite, a national not-for-profit company that provides disadvantaged people with industry training and long-term employment in the property sector. The employer-led model involves short pre-employment training followed by on-the-job training that is a pathway into a specific trade or role. Since its inception, the program has led to more than 12,000 people finding construction employment and a further 26,000 people securing retail roles. Learn more
Pilotlight Partnership, UK
Foundation sponsors up to 10 senior staff members to become ‘Pilotlighters’, and work with small to medium charities and social enterprises. Each charity is partnered with a team of four diverse Pilotlighters, who mentor the charity’s chief executive to develop a strategic plan for organisational growth. They also help to develop the skills so that growth can be well managed. Pilotlight continues to evaluate and report on the performance of partner charities for up to three years after the project.
Pilotlight gives our employees the chance to work alongside peers from other industries, and collaborate with inspirational charity leaders. They also get to test their business skills in the non-profit environment, where budgets are minimal and creativity is needed to deliver results. Meanwhile, charities who’ve taken part in Pilotlight projects have reported better management and governance, more income and staffing, and a greater impact for their service-users. On average partner charities help 104 per cent more people and achieve an average 48 per cent income growth, two years after working with Pilotlight. Through Pilotlight, we’re developing our senior leaders, forging important community partnerships and helping charities to reach out to more people.
313@somerset Training, Singapore
We were accredited as an approved training organisation by the Singapore Workforce Development Agency, a global first for the company. We then set up the 313@somerset Training & Career Centre, which provides free accredited retail training and skills for retail employees at 313@somerset. The centre is a first for a Singapore retail mall and is designed to set a new benchmark for retail service in the country. We also run regular sustainability tours of 313@somerset to educate the public, schools and industry players about the mall’s sustainable features and operations. This initiative is in line with our long term-commitment to both sustainability and accountability.
Fenxian You Dao Family Centre, China
Since 2009, we’ve been actively involved with the Fenxian You Dao Family Centre, a non- profit organisation in Shanghai. The centre was set up to help China’s needy and marginalized migrant workers, who are often peasants that have left their homes to work in the cities. Their job choices are usually limited to “secondary” job markets, which often have unfair employment terms, hazardous working conditions and poor and unhygienic living conditions. Our team in Shanghai has participated in a number of the centre’s projects, including the refurbishment of a community centre for migrant families. Most of our labour force on China’s construction sites comes from migrant labour, and this charity allows us to give something back to the community we work with every day.