Wesfarmers supports the responsible procurement of Indigenous art as part of its commitment to promote Indigenous cultures, communities and businesses.

As the Group evolves its engagement with Indigenous artists and suppliers, it is important that these relationships are conducted in a fair and culturally appropriate way, consistent with the Group’s Ethical Sourcing and Modern Slavery Policy.

During the year, we engaged Dr Terri Janke, an internationally recognised authority on Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP), to support the development of the Wesfarmers guide to working with First Nations artists.

The guide provides information on the unique ICIP rights of Indigenous artists, as informed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It establishes a framework for best practice engagement with Indigenous artists for product development and commissioning and licensing of artwork.

To support the rollout and understanding of the guide, an ICIP workshop was hosted with Dr Janke including participants from across the Group. Acknowledging the various contact points throughout the Indigenous art procurement process, participants included representatives spanning from Indigenous engagement, product development, marketing and legal teams.