A roadmap for accountability: Our Reconciliation Action Plan is now approved
At Portable, we’ve always believed that co-designing with First Nations peoples isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s essential. For over a decade, we’ve worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, leaders, and organisations to improve access to services, shape digital tools that reflect cultural safety, and deliver public sector innovation that honours lived experience.
We’re proud to share that our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) has now been formally endorsed. It’s an important milestone marking a new phase of accountability; giving structure to our commitments, clarity to our actions, and continuity to the partnerships we’re building across the country.
Reconciliation Australia has endorsed our RAP at the Innovate level, as we have strong support across senior leadership, established governance structure with First Nations peoples representation, and a drive throughout the business to take active and meaningful steps towards reconciliation. The differences are explained in greater detail here.
Why a RAP, and why now?
As an innovation partner for public good, we see firsthand how systemic inequality continues to shape health, justice, education and economic outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Reconciliation isn’t something we observe, it’s something we practise. And we knew that if we were serious about long-term impact, we needed a framework that could guide and push us.
Portable’s RAP lays out practical, measurable steps to embed reconciliation into our business from procurement and recruitment, to cultural capability and governance. Just as importantly, it sets the expectation that every Portable team member understands their role in this journey, and feels supported to contribute meaningfully.
About the artwork
From brilliant artist Emrhan Sultan
"I designed this artwork with the theme “We’re in it together” front of mind. Each meeting place symbolises a Portable office located in a different city across the country. From each of these, smaller extensions represent the connections to regional towns and communities linked to those main offices. The wavy lines flowing between them are rivers of hope, a visual reminder that no matter where we are, we remain connected through shared purpose and values.
Connection is at the heart of this piece. It represents the importance of working together, supporting one another, and recognising the strength that comes from unity across place, people and purpose. The ‘U’ shapes throughout the artwork symbolise people, both staff and clients, showing that everyone has a place in the journey.
I’ve also included tracks of the emu and kangaroo, two native animals found on our national coat of arms. Their presence honours the land we are on and reminds us of the stories and knowledge held by Country. In the bottom right, two meeting place circles represent Portable’s international offices. They’re linked to the rest of the network by individual wavy lines, which represent journey lines acknowledging that although physically distant, we’re still part of one collective story.
It’s been a real privilege to design this piece for Portable, and to bring together these elements in a way that reflects the organisation’s commitment to connection, inclusion, and respect for place and people."
What’s already underway
Some of the work that's already begun includes:
- Delivering cultural awareness training across the organisation
- Engaging First Nations advisors on projects where cultural knowledge is central to success
- Deepening partnerships with Aboriginal-led organisations through co-design
- Updating our internal policies to ensure inclusivity is backed by practice, not just intent
These are first steps, not final ones.
What happens next
Reconciliation work is long-term work. Our RAP will evolve as we learn, through listening, through reflection, and through relationships. We’re committed to reporting publicly on our progress and ensuring First Nations perspectives continue to shape the tools, platforms, and systems we help build.
As designers, engineers, and strategists working across public life, we have a responsibility to help repair what has been broken. Our RAP gives us a roadmap. It’s our job to walk it, together.
Read the full RAP
To see our commitments in detail, including timelines, responsibilities, and actions, download our Reconciliation Action Plan. We welcome feedback, partnerships, and accountability as we continue this work.
The RAP team
We are so thankful to our people who stepped forward to drive this project with passion and intention. This roadmap is important to the entire business, but these are the individuals who found the time and energy to bring us further into reconciliation.
- Cayden Clifford (Junior Technologist)
- Emma Arrowsmith (People and Culture Lead)
- Hannah Gibney (Senior Business Development Specialist)
- Holly Wighton (People and Culture, and Finance Support officer)
- Kathryn Foster (Head of People and Culture)
- Nick Rogers (Senior Technologist)
- Niki Goodfellow (Senior Producer)
- Rachael Karpman (Senior Marketing Manager)
- Willhemina Wahlin (Senior Design Strategist)
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