White Gum Wool Inclusivity Strategy 2019
White Gum Wool is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all of our customers. In addition to the formalism of our anti-discrimination policy, we recognise this will mean taking additional special care to ensure everyone is made to feel warmly welcomed to create with our wool, particularly individuals who may have felt excluded from fibre crafts in the past. No one in our crafting community should have to experience the pain of rejection or disrespect. We are also committed to ensuring our wholesale customers embrace this ethos of inclusivity and special care with their customers.
Special care could include a range of things:
• Particular kindness and solicitude for new customers who may need extra encouragement
• Signage and brochures that make a point of inclusivity and describe behaviour that is not acceptable as well as that which is encouraged
• Readily available copies of an inclusivity policy
• Outreach to local community organisations working against racism and other forms of bigotry, for example Students against Racism Tasmania which has links on the mainland as well.
• Working with staff and existing customers, particularly in crafting groups and workshops, to ensure that all are aware of the commitment the business has to inclusivity and what that means in terms of behaviour and awareness
• Immediate responsiveness to any sign or reporting of discomfort, disrespect or rejection by a customer or participant.
• Inclusivensess training, for example with the SBS Cultural Competency course, or Where Change Started, an anti-racism leadership accelerator program.
We will ask our wholesale customers to reflect their commitment to inclusivity through their actions and written policies. If in our view they are unwilling or unable to do so, we will suspend supply to them until such a time as they are able to demonstrate that they can wholeheartedly create a welcoming and safe environment for all of their customers.
White Gum Wool’s owner Nan Bray promises to listen respectfully to any complaint about lack of inclusivity, and to take action to change the behaviours or situation. In the event this is insufficient to repair the harm, she commits to entering into a professional mediation process (for example with Equal Opportunity Tasmania, a branch of the state government which deals with discrimination) to resolve the issues and find a mutually acceptable way to change those things that need to change. We note that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission also has a formal complaint process to protect consumers.
White Gum Wool also acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which the farm lies, in eastern lutruwita (Tasmania): the tyerrernotepanner (pronounced “cheranotipana") marwemairer, peenrymairmener and rolemairre language groups. We will continue to learn about and share with others the history and culture of these people.
The information in this document is for general guidance only. It does not constitute legal or other professional advice, and should not be relied on as a statement of the law in any jurisdiction. Because it is intended only as a general guide, it may contain generalisations. You should obtain professional advice if you have any specific concern.