ATCO Australia Managing Director, Pat Creaghan, said that building and sustaining professional relationships with Indigenous organisations had become a hallmark of the business, with more than 40 joint-venture partnerships; memoranda of understanding; and supply contracts with Indigenous business and communities globally.

“Because we provide essential energy and infrastructure services in hundreds of communities all over the world, we have a unique role to play in improving the quality of life of our customers, neighbours and Indigenous partners,” Mr Creaghan said.

“While ATCO has a number of global partnerships with Indigenous communities, with some lasting decades - here in Australia we recognise that we are only at the beginning of our reconciliation journey.”

ATCO Australia recently procured the services of majority Indigenous-owned health supply company, Spartan First, which administered flu shots for all ATCO employees ahead of the winter flu season; and for future pre-employment health assessments. 

The business is led by Clinton Wolf and former AFL player Des Headland, and partially owned by Spartan Occupational Health Services. 

General Manager Amanda Clarke said Spartan First is the Indigenous arm of the business which supplies extended services in areas beyond occupational health. 

“Des’ vision for Spartan First is to support Indigenous communities in health and wellness programs; as well as initiatives that would benefit not only this generation - but the next,” Ms Clarke said. 

“The direction that Spartan First takes in the future will be based on the specific needs of the communities which we are supporting. This allows us the ability to provide quality services through one arm, and taking the Indigenous arm to wherever the need is.

“Our ultimate goal is to have a national footprint, provide exceptional service no matter where we are, and have exceptional clients such as ATCO in our portfolio.”

Ms Clarke said Spartan First was pleased to have the opportunity build a relationship with ATCO Australia.

“It has been such a welcome change to see a company which not only talks about their support of Indigenous needs, but is actually demonstrating their commitment initiatives and support,” she said. 

“Going forward, we hope to supply ATCO with health programs, as well as being able to complete ATCO’s employee on-boarding medical assessments, and we look forward to the opportunity of demonstrating this in the very near future.”