Minderoo Foundation Annual Report 2023
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Communities

“My Home”: a partner-led solution to homelessness

Walk Free

Ending modern slavery: how the Global Slavery Index is driving the agenda

Oceans

Towards a Global Plastics Treaty

Stories
of
Impact

Annual Report 2023

Oceans

Future-proofing the blue economy

Gender and Equality

Investing in women and girls

Impact Missions

Supporting Ukraine’s war-affected communities and their children

“We know these are tough times for families, both in our own backyard, across the country and the globe. That is why in 2023 we deepened our focus. We know that lasting positive change can only come by working together. We are committed to building collaborative partnerships across our communities to create positive impact for a fairer future.”

Nicola Forrest AO

“As our world faces enormous challenges, we continue to act now to help humanity and the environment meet these existential risks. We will always work towards the greatest benefit of our community, our country and the planet.”

Dr Andrew Forrest AO

A message from our CEO

In my first year as CEO, I could not be prouder of our exciting work. Our stories of impact in this year’s annual report give a glimpse of the large and seemingly intractable challenges Minderoo can tackle to have a lasting positive impact.

This year we rolled out a new strategic framework. First and foremost, this is about taking bold, collaborative and selfless action to dismantle the systems that entrench inequality, for a fairer future.

Minderoo’s vision is to create a society that values all people and natural ecosystems. To achieve this, we have realigned our programs into three Focus Areas which uplift communities, advance gender and equality, and protect the ocean. We will also respond to emerging challenges as they arise through our time-bound Impact Missions.

Underpinning the success of our Focus Areas are our enabling functions - Strategy and Operations, Effective Philanthropy, Advocacy and Engagement, People and Culture, and Technology. They are critical to delivering impact within each of our Focus Areas and Impact Missions and to tying together our “One Minderoo” way of working to create a united front in the face of our shared challenges.

Our approach is grounded in the principles that we exist as a force for good, we will take a long-term and outcomes-focused view and we empower, convene and trust our people, partners and communities.

What we are putting in place for Minderoo internally is reflected externally in the way we work. We know we need a collective effort, to work better together with our partners to deliver better outcomes.

Strategically we will see philanthropy and charitable advocacy as two sides of the same coin, working as One Minderoo to achieve goals at scale.

Taking a big-picture approach is crucial to facing the unprecedented threats to our environment. We need to return our oceans to a healthy state, free from plastic pollution and safeguarded for the future.

We all know that climate action failure is one of the greatest risks to our environmental, social, and economic well-being.

Fostering stronger collaboration is key to taking on intergenerational disadvantage that is exacerbated by many social factors in the community, in the early years and without safety and economic security.

Influential partnerships are needed to break down the structural barriers that perpetuate the denial of equal rights for women and girls.

Our people and our partners act in service of positive social change and realising a vision for a better world.

I am excited by what the future holds for us at this pivotal point in Minderoo’s history and it is truly inspiring and a privilege to lead such a dedicated and passion-filled team.

John Hartman
Chief Executive Officer

Financials

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet, work and live, and recognise their continuing connection and care to land, water and community. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Media Credits

  • Stories of Impact
  • Photo: Communities, Michelle and Kathy - Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. Keane Bourke © 2023 ABC
  • Photo: Walk Free, Syrian girl - Grace Forrest
  • Photo: Oceans, Plastic Forecast website - Minderoo Foundation
  • Photo: Oceans, Fisherman - Monty Rakusen via Getty Images
  • Photo: Gender and Equality, Mother and daughter - MStudioImages via Getty Images
  • Photo: Impact Missions, Teacher and children in Ukraine - via International Step by Step Association
  • Chairman, Co-Chair and CEO
  • Photo: Nicola Forrest AO - Jessica Wyld
  • Photo: Andrew Forrest AO - Emma Dolzadelli
  • Photo: John Hartman - Emma Dolzadelli
  • Communities
  • Video cover: Kathy - Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. Keane Bourke © 2023 ABC
  • Photo: Living room - Emma Dolzadelli
  • Photo: Kitchen - Emma Dolzadelli
  • Photo: A My Home house - Emma Dolzadelli
  • Photo: Volunteers assembling furniture - Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. Keane Bourke © 2023 ABC
  • Photo: Michelle and Kathy - Reproduced by permission of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation – Library Sales. Keane Bourke © 2023 ABC
  • Photo: Keys in hands - Emma Dolzadelli
  • Walk Free
  • Video: Modern slavery survivor, Nasreen Sheikh - Hayden Fortescue
  • Photo: Girl hanging laundry - Alissa Everett via Getty Images
  • Photo: Faith leader in Kenya - via Faith for Freedom
  • Photo: Grace Forrest with Sa unoamaali’i Karanina Sumeo - via Grace Forrest
  • Photo: People in boat - Naeblys via Getty Images
  • Oceans - Global Plastics Treaty
  • Video: Rubbish in ocean - Placebo365 via Getty Images
  • Video: Plastic Forecast - Minderoo Foundation
  • Photo: Diver among rubbish - Anadolu via Getty Images
  • Photo: Plastic chips - David Silverman via Getty Images
  • Oceans - Blue Economy
  • Photo: Fishing boat - Felix Cesare via Getty Images
  • Video: Dr Tony Worby - Hayden Fortescue
  • Photo: Fish DNA testing - Hayden Fortescue
  • Photo: Fish fillet - Kali9 via Getty Images
  • Photo: Fisherman - Monty Rakusen via Getty Images
  • Photo: Fish on ice - Longhua Liao via Getty Images
  • Gender and equality
  • Photo: Mother with daughters - Jonathan Torgovnik via Images of Empowerment
  • Photo: Indian women - Paula Bronstein via Images of Empowerment
  • Photo: Girl taking notes - Paula Bronstein via Images of Empowerment
  • Photo: Women’s meeting - Jonathan Torgovnik via Images of Empowerment
  • Photo: Vaccination - Andrew Aitchison via Getty Images
  • Photo: Young women - Yagazie Emezi via Images of Empowerment
  • Impact Missions
  • Photo: Ukrainian girl being evacuated - Jana Čavojská/SOPA Images via Getty Images
  • Video: Room for Childhood project - via Olena Zelenska Foundation
  • Photo: Ukrainian educators training - via International Step by Step Association
  • Photo: Ukrainian educators training - via International Step by Step Association
  • Photo: Teacher and children in Ukraine - via International Step by Step Association
  • Photo: Ukrainian educators training - via International Step by Step Association
  • Photo: Ambassador Myroshnychenko - via Vasyl Myroshnychenko