Australia’s leading specialist trustee company, Equity Trustees, has formalised its commitment to reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and the broader Australian community with the launch of its Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

“We support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to manage their wealth through various community and native title trust models, and by directing philanthropic funds towards a wide variety of Aboriginal programs assisting our First Australians. Equity Trustees has a rich history in managing wealth for all Australians, this experience places us in a unique position to use our expertise to improve social and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities,” said Equity Trustees’ Chairman, the Hon. Jeff Kennett AC.

“The development of the traditional trustee model to the contemporary Australian context has included adapting our technical trustee service to community trusts. Our services continue to evolve to ensure our products and services meet the needs of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, and we work closely with Aboriginal communities and their representatives in partnership,” Mr Kennett said.

Equity Trustees’ Managing Director, Mick O’Brien said employees across our Company had embraced the opportunity to be a part of the first RAP’s development and what it could deliver.

“Some of our employees are involved directly in working with managing community trusts or granting, but all employees have seen the opportunity in this initiative to make a difference. As an active partner to many Aboriginal communities, Equity Trustees has a strong corporate responsibility to actively pursue reconciliation, and this RAP is our first step toward formalising this commitment,” Mr O’Brien said.

Equity Trustees has a growing portfolio of community trusts serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and an increasing profile in those communities for its independent, specialist trustee service.

In addition, as a leading provider of philanthropic funds in Australia, distributing around $70 million annually, Equity Trustees has distributed funds to programs including:

• early childhood intervention to improve literacy and numeracy in a Victorian Aboriginal community
• improved tertiary education pathways for Aboriginal youth
• support for the welcome to country celebrations opening Melbourne Festivals; and
• improvements in school to work transition for young Aboriginal peoples in Goulburn Valley.

Equity Trustees formally launched its inaugural RAP in Perth on 16 April 2018 with special guest speaker Angela Ryder, inaugural member of the Noongar Charitable Trust Advisory Council and founding member of the Langford Aboriginal Association. Read the Equity Trustees Reflect RAP on our website or find it on the Reconciliation Australia website.

Read the full Media Release here

Media inquiries:

Alicia Kokocinski

Senior Manager – Marketing & Communications

03 8623 5396 / 0403 172 024

akokocinski@eqt.com.au

About Equity Trustees

Equity Trustees was established in 1888 for the purpose of providing independent and impartial Trustee and Executor services to help families throughout Australia protect their wealth. As Australia’s leading specialist trustee company, we offer a diverse range of services to individuals, families and corporate clients including asset management, estate planning, philanthropic services and Responsible Entity (RE) services for fund managers.