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Sydney House and the Global Goals The Global Goals A Message from the CEO

In 2015, the United Nations defned 17 goals, known as The ’s mission the Global Goals, to address ’s most pressing is to inspire and strengthen the challenges by 2030, including poverty, inequality, climate, community in everything we do. education and justice. The Global Goals provide a to-do list for the world and a roadmap to achieve a more Since opening, the Opera House has championed environmental sustainability, sustainable and prosperous future for all. They have creativity, diversity, cultural rights and respect been widely adopted by leading global and Australian for heritage. Now, almost 50 years on, we remain committed to these ideals and values. They are companies and government organisations. perfectly encapsulated in the Global Goals. These goals can only be achieved through coordinated global action. In the following pages, you can fnd out more about what we have done and plan to do, as set out in our most recent Reconciliation, Environment and Accessibility Action Plans. I am immensely proud of the progress we have made and would like to thank the NSW Government, our corporate partners and many donors (regardless of the size of the donations) for helping to make these important community and sustainability initiatives possible. We remain committed to doing all that we can to inspire and bring about change, with you.

Louise Herron AM Chief Executive Ofcer October 2019

The Sydney Opera House stands on Tubowgule, Gadigal country. We acknowledge the Gadigal, traditional custodians of this place, also known as Point. First Nations readers are advised that this document may contain the names and images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are now deceased.

Cover Photo: Sydney Opera House. Photo by Hamilton Lund. Our Commitments

With the launch of new community and environment action plans, the Opera House aims to be a catalyst The Opera House will reduce our The Opera House will implement waste generation and promote a pathway to become Climate for change, aligned with nine of the Global Goals. the efcient use of resources. Positive by 2023.

Targets: 12.5, 12.7 Targets: 13.1, 13.3

The Opera House will The Opera House will The Opera House will promote The Opera House will promote promote quality education champion diversity and sustainable management of sustainable management of and learning opportunities. human rights in its workforce natural resources and protection natural resources and protection and business operations. of the marine environment. of habitats and biodiversity.

Targets: 4.5, 4.7 Targets: 8.4, 8.5 Target: 14.1 Target: 15.5

The Opera House will improve The Opera House will safeguard The Opera House will deepen inclusion and accessibility on and revitalise cultural practices, and enrich our relationships and of stage. heritage and sustainability. with partners.

Target: 10.2 Targets: 11.2, 11.4, 11.6, 11.7 Targets: 17.16, 17.17

sydneyoperahouse.com/globalgoals 5

Allukmo Dancers perform at Dance Rites 2018. 6Photo by Anna Kucera. 7 The Opera House’s Reconciliation Action Plan supports global eforts to promote cultural awareness, equality and opportunity for all, and commits to initiatives that will enable our vision for reconciliation – to foster and celebrate a shared sense of belonging for all .

Aligned Global Goals

Opera House staf welcome First Nations work experience students in 2018.

• Undertake research and • Demonstrate institutional • 350 staf participated in cultural • EnergyAustralia enabled seven consultation to deepen integrity by publicly and awareness, engagement and/or Opera House staf to attend understanding and valuing actively supporting and competency events, training the 2019 Garma Festival of of First Nations cultures, championing reconciliation and workshops in 2018. Traditional Cultures to deepen 2017–19

2020–22 2020–22 rights and experiences to to our local and international their understanding of First • More than 8,000 people

reach historical acceptance. communities, partners and Nations cultures and build attended ’s national visitors. community relationships. • Celebrate First Nations First Nations dance cultures through presentation • Embed and refect First competition, Dance Rites, • The nightly First Nations of First Nations works and Nations cultures and heritage in 2018. The event provides a sails lighting, Badu Gili, stories to foster appreciation onsite and online as part of platform for intergenerational was launched in 2017 with and embed respectful shared national unity. exchange of knowledge, the support of the Opera race relations. empowers communities and House’s Idealist donors and revitalises cultural practices. the Australia Council for the • Build equality and equity Arts. The free experience

through employment and • 160 students participated in celebrates the contemporary retention programs, capacity- career pathways programs vibrancy of Australia’s First building projects in our which grow, retain and Nations and has been viewed First Nations programming, develop First Nations staf by 325,000 visitors onsite, and encouraging cultural and ensure a culturally and 1.7 million people online. competence in all staf. inclusive workplace.

View the Reconciliation Action Plan online to fnd out more 8 sydneyoperahouse.com/reconciliation 9

The Opera House sails were lit to celebrate 10carbon-neutral certifcation in 2018. 11 The Opera House’s Environment Action Plan supports global eforts to safeguard our natural environment. The Opera House will hold itself to the highest standard in conserving resources, minimising waste, enhancing the natural environment and inspiring change in the community.

Aligned Global Goals

The NSW Minister of the Arts the Hon Don Harwin MLC (centre) announces the Opera House’s in 2018 with Jess Padman from EnergyAustralia, Opera House CEO Louise Herron, and staf sustainability champions (SEALs). Photo by Tim Da Rin.

• Achieve a 6 Star Green • Achieve Sustainable Event • Carbon-neutral certifcation • A modular artifcial reef Star Performance Rating Management Certifcation was achieved in 2018 through was installed at Bennelong from the in line with International energy, waste and building Point in 2019. The pioneering Council Australia. Standard (ISO) 20121 for efciency projects and research project, led by the 2017–19

2020–23 our events, performances EnergyAustralia’s support to University of Technology • Become single-use

and festivals. invest in renewable energy Sydney and funded by the plastic free across our and carbon ofset projects. NSW Government's venues and restaurants. • Recycle a minimum of 85% Environmental Trust, seeks of all operational waste. • The Opera House achieved a • Implement a pathway to to increase biodiversity in 5 Star Green Star rating from become climate positive, • Ensure new partnerships are Sydney Harbour and raise the Green Building Council of including preparing for strategically aligned with the awareness of marine Australia in 2018, recognising and adapting to a Global Goals. conservation. “Australian excellence” in changing climate. building performance. • A plan to eliminate single-use plastics has removed 90,000

• An industry-leading seven- plastic bags and 2.2 million year Power Purchase straws from the site annually. Agreement with Flow Power A reusable drinkware trial was signed in 2019 to invest during key 2018 and 2019 the Opera House’s $2.4 million events prevented the use of annual electricity spend in more than 30,000 single use NSW wind and solar power. plastic cups. View the Environmental Action Plan online to fnd out more 12 sydneyoperahouse.com/environment 13

Sensorium Theatres’ WHOOSH! in August 2019. 14Photo by Prudence Upton. 15 The Accessibility Action Plan is underpinned by the philosophy that the Opera House belongs to everyone. Our focus on inclusion and equality, in close consultation with people with disability, is fundamental to the Opera House’s support of the Global Goals.

Aligned Global Goals

Inclusion champion Max Burt with Ian Cashen Executive Director Building, Safety and Security using the new Theatre lift for the frst time in 2018. Photo by Daniel Boud.

• Signifcantly improve • Enhance access and • Major accessibility upgrades • The 2016–18 Access building accessibility as inclusion provisions in to the Joan Sutherland Theatre Program presented more part of the Opera House’s our recruitment processes, were completed in 2018, than 150 performances and Stage 1 Renewal capital introduce new workplace including a new accessible workshops including audio- 2016–19

2020–23 works program. support for existing passageway and lift, increased described, live-captioned,

employees with disability compliant seating, new -interpreted, autism- • Develop new community and develop employment accessible toilets and an friendly and multi-sensory engagement opportunities opportunities for future assisted hearing loop system. performances and featured as part of the Access employees with disability. the perspectives of artists Program, including: recording • 12 musicians on the autism with disabilities. studio residencies; performing spectrum participated in arts workshops and creative a Club Weld x • A with Create experiences for seniors, people residency, working with NSW, the Department of with dementia and migrant mentors to produce original Family and Community and refugee communities. music using atmospheric Services and Accessible Arts, sounds from the building. enabled a Creatability Intern to work alongside the Opera • Staf received introductory House’s customer service Auslan and accessible and programming teams. customer service training and attended a Bamboozle Theatre • Event Partner masterclass in planning and enabled 31 All About Women presenting theatre for people sessions to be Auslan- with multiple and complex interpreted or captioned View the Accessibility Action Plan online to fnd out more disabilities. in 2018 and 2019. 16 sydneyoperahouse.com/accessibility 17 Creative Play program Children’s Republic 18 of Sydney in 2017. Photo by Jacquie Manning.19 The Sydney Opera House exists because a few brave people dared to think diferently They made the impossible possible, and inspired a nation

And so we stand as a proud testament to the power of dreaming in public To the transformative potential of art and ideas

We expand horizons, shift perspectives and stir emotions If you’re ready for the extraordinary, we’re ready for you sydneyoperahouse.com/globalgoals

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