More than a corporate value, FIR is now a practical framework that shapes how Ventia recruits, leads, partners, and operates across diverse contracts and communities.
We were excited to welcome Cathryn Greville, CEO of National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC) and FIR Champion and diversity and inclusion expert Lisa Reynolds to a chat with our General Manager Social Sustainability Aaron Reid via an employee Lunch & Learn session recently to talk about what this commitment means for an organisation like Ventia.
One key takeaway, summarised well by Cathryn, is that everyone needs to be part of the inclusion journey.
Cathryn Greville, CEO of National Association for Women in Construction (NAWIC).
This isn’t about taking something away—it’s about building something better, together.
Engaging with your people
Group Executive for People, Safety and Culture, Jodie Blake grounds FIR in the business’s strategic direction. “We want to emphasise that it’s about building the kind of workforce that we want people to work in—one in which fairness, inclusion and respect is at the front of everything that we do.”
With uncertainty around global debates on fairness, inclusion, and respect (FIR) right now, Jodie addresses the issue noting that FIR is not a reaction to trends but a deliberate, long-term commitment. “We want a culture we can all be proud of,” Jodie said.
Where the work matters, the people around us care, and we’re all moving in the same direction.
Ventia’s Transport division, Fairness and Inclusion Manager Brittany Mucciarone offered a practical perspective on FIR in action.
We’re really lucky to be in a really large organisation where there’s so many people…I meet new people all the time working here. It’s massive. And I think we need to leverage that and… get to know each other.
Her team is already taking tangible steps through:
- Integrating FIR language and behaviours into toolbox talks and team discussions
- Forming peer networks to build local support
- Identifying FIR Champions to act as first responders for workplace culture issues
This reflects Ventia’s view that culture is local—and must be lived, not laminated.
Your inclusion journey can start now
Many organisations might only be in the early stages of their FIR journey or may be looking at ways to adapt to the changing conversations in workplaces and communities across the world. Cathryn Greville delivered a clear message: take action, wherever you are. "Start now… do something,” she said.
What you actually do will depend on your understanding of FIR and where you’re at on your FIR journey. Everyone will have different starting points—and that’s OK
What is at the core of fairness, inclusion and respect
Lisa Reynolds focused on the interpersonal core of FIR and how it lives in everyday interactions.
She called out the power of listening with intention. “We’re so willing and wanting to get our point across that we don’t actually hear what’s being said,” she noted. “Sometimes just being in the moment is really important.”
Lisa also spoke about confidence and the role everyone can play. “If we’re the kind of person that can’t possibly challenge, then we delegate it to somebody else to make sure the challenge takes place and that it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
These insights align with one of the key aims of Ventia’s People Strategy: building cultural capability across all levels of the business, not just within HR or leadership.
Aaron Reid notes that FIR is not about policy documents, but lived behaviours—and that culture happens in moments: who we listen to, who we lift up, and how we show respect day-to-day.
It transforms FIR from a top-down program into a shared expectation—something lived from Cremorne to Cairns, from the boardroom to the back office.
Cathryn reminded us that everyone’s journey will be unique.
“What you choose to do will depend on what most resonates with you. But the biggest thing is—do something.”
More on Ventia’s approach to fairness, inclusion and respect can be found here.