Analysis of Human Resource Practices at Vicinity Centres: A Report

This report provides an analysis of Vicinity Centres' human resource practices, focusing on its sustainable development strategy and how it distinguishes itself through its business operations and societal contributions. The report delves into the company's initiatives related to performance, culture, and employee engagement. It highlights the company's graduate and internship programs designed to nurture future leaders, its commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, and its various community investment programs. The report also examines Vicinity Centres' dedication to building sustainable communities, promoting cultural harmony, and its efforts in employee engagement through volunteering programs and workplace giving. The conclusion emphasizes the company's commitment to a holistic approach to business, ensuring the well-being of employees, organizational goals, and societal needs, thereby maintaining its market position and competitiveness.

Running head: MANAGEMENT
Human Resource Practices
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Executive Summary:
This project report is specifically meant to throw light upon the varied sustainable
development strategy of Vicinity Centre and how this company does stand out in its own way
while conducting its business as well as supporting the societal needs and demands.

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Table of Contents
Introduction:...................................................................................................................3
About the Company:..................................................................................................3
Discussion:.....................................................................................................................4
Performance related initiatives:..................................................................................4
Culture Related Initiative:..........................................................................................5
Engagement related initiatives:..................................................................................6
Conclusion:....................................................................................................................7
References:.....................................................................................................................8

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Introduction:
About the Company:
Vicinity Centres (VCX) which was previously known as Federation Centres and
Centro Properties Group is basically an Australian Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT)
company specialised in ownership and management of Australian shopping centres. One of
the leading retail property groups in Australia whose only vision is to “enrich community
experience “by building spaces where people can meet, greet and connect with each other
(Vicinity Centres, About Us, Our Story, 2020). Today it has 63 shopping centres under its
management and the primary reason for choosing this organization to analyse its unique
human resource management system is because the brand very significantly focuses on
uniting communities breaking status quo and altogether helping in bring together bunch of
curious people and helping them dream big. The corporate governance structure of the brand
is quite sound and strong with al the board of directors working together to ensure nothing
else but the best for the company and its people. Hence this report will specifically highlight
on the company’s varied initiative relating to culture, its employees, it’s overall performance
to understand how exactly Vicinity Centres functions and how it aims to deliver the best
retail mix with right amount of entertainment and dining options meant to support its retail
partners and overall strengthening its portfolio to attract more and more customers.

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Discussion:
Performance related initiatives:
Vicinity Centres is not just a brand it is more about an endearing experience that it
wishes to give to all its customers. Hence the brand exceptionally looks to build future
leaders. This industry specifically deals with people, hence to train its future employees and
staffs on how exactly the brand operates Vicinity Centres provides various graduate
programs which are specifically designed to uncover the highest potentials and talents of
each of its candidates who can become the leaders of tomorrow and become a part of
something big (Graduate Program - Vicinity Career Homepage, 2020). These graduate
programs give the young talents an opportunity to explore real-time experience of working in
a customer centric industry. The mentors are extremely supportive and encouraging who
helps the youngsters actually discover their passion and work hard on building over it. To get
oneself enrolled in their graduate program there is an online assessment followed by a digital
interview and finally a face to face interview to completely ensure that the candidates is fit
for the course and it suits his aspirations and requirement as well. This is not all Vicinity
Centres as conducts summer internship programs which a seven- week is paid program
aimed at providing students the exclusive chance to understand the retail property business
industry, gain a real time exposure in the same under the care and guidance of the industry
experts. There are various workshops and virtual projects involved in these internships along
with mindset and wellness programs. Another conducive feature of this company is its agile
work environment which does provide the necessary support and guidance required for
learning and development built does not impose rigidity on the learner’s thinking and
functioning. Hence the organisation believes in providing enough creative space for the
young minds to bloom and achieve their best. The board of directors ensure that every new

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and creative idea needs to be appreciated and welcomed for helping the organisation grow
and achieve big.
Culture Related Initiative:
The very basic purpose of this brand is to altogether ensure in delivering an enriching
experience to all the communities and help the Australian families live, work and shop in a
healthy and positive environment. The aim is to end every possible cultural and status
differences among the communities by building a platform for their active interactions and
communication. According to the company Chairman Peter Hay Vicinity Centres aim at
building up the communal harmony through positive cultural exchange and interaction rather
than being a mere retail experience for the mass. The first and foremost essential cultural
initiate relates to absolute adherence towards creating a sustainable destination and shaping
better communities. The chairman and the board of directors have joined hands towards
sustainable strategy of business developments which would ensure on low carbon smart
assets, climate resilience and altogether ensuring a healthy lifestyle for the local communities.
The company sticks by the notion of achieving Net Zero Carbon Emission by 2030 (Vicinity
Centres, Sustainability - Vicinity Centres, Sustainability, 2020). When it comes to cultural
initiative Vicinity Centres largely believes in embracing differences and helps to build a
workforce which is inclined towards Women’s Empowerment Principles respects the cultural
orientation of every single employee and celebrates every religion, its individual believes and
practices by encouraging each employee to celebrate and respected their individual difference
yet work as a team. This team spirit is recognised as the only existing culture of the
organization. It also ensures to imbibe the culture of equality within the organization by
ensuring equal pay with fixed remuneration and reward for all gender. The organisation
particularly aims to address the issues of gender bias by employing females in each
employment category. The company’s Diversity and Inclusion strategy specifically targets at

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increasing female representation in varied leadership categories to promote the culture of
gender neutrality and break age old taboos catering to gender roles
This is not the end Vicinity Centre largely focuses on community investment
programs for supporting the issues of unemployment in its local community. The Vicinity’s
community investment programs are largely focused on addressing varies social issues
pertaining to racial and cultural differences and is partnered with Beacon Foundation to
address these sensitive issues on a global scale. It follows a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP)
(SHAPING BETTER COMMUNITIES - Vicinity Centres, Sustainability, 2020) which
significantly demands an increase in respect, equality and opportunity especially for the
Aboriginals and the people and communities of the Torres Strait Island
Engagement related initiatives:
Vicinity centres largely proclaims that it always puts its people above anything and
everything and to help the company being recognised as one of the world’s best workplace it
has left no stone unturned. The company equally focuses on personal and professional
development of its employees by engaging them in varied online learning portals, mentoring
programs leadership programs and much more. One of the core engagement related initiative
pertain to Vicinity’s volunteering programs which provides the employee to engage in social
good and provide assistance to those in need. The employees participate in skilled
volunteering with the aid of Beacon Foundation to train the local school students and the
lesser fortunate ones and provide them with the necessary industry insights and help the
students understand their different career possibilities. In 2019 this engagement initiative had
a very positive response from its attendants where more than 500 students from varied
schools joined in (Community engagement - Vicinity Centres, Sustainability, 2020). In 2019
the company introduced another engagement initiative which was a new work experience

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program for these students. These short-term placement helped the school students get a real
life exposure to the industry experience and work life culture. When it comes to engagement
initiative, Vicinity Centres ensures to donate for something good which would aid the society
at large. Therefore the company engages in its workplace giving program where they donate
for certain charitable causes. The program is arranged online and donations are provided
across 1800 charities throughout Australia. The employees of the company do actively
engage in such social welfare activities and feel obliged to act as a responsible corporate
citizen (Sustainability engagement - Vicinity Centres, Sustainability, 2020)
Conclusion:
Vicinity Centre no doubt ensures to main a sound human resource and organizational
practice which does not only look into the profit and revenue generation of the company but
overall ensures to build in a sustainable and strategic business operational model which
supports the employees, the organizational goals, the society and altogether ensures to walk
together and achieve a sustainable goals of business operation ( Kopnina and Blewitt, 2014).
The above mentioned performance related initiatives, culture related initiative and
engagement related initiative clearly identifies the organisational goals, mission and vision
along with providing a clarity of its internal and external working strategies to ensure that
Vicinity Centre continues to hold its market position and remain competitive in this global
business market.

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References:
Careers.vicinity.com.au. 2020. Graduate Program - Vicinity Career Homepage. [online]
Available at: <https://careers.vicinity.com.au/graduate-program/> [Accessed 17 April 2020].
Kopnina, H. and Blewitt, J., 2014. Sustainable business: Key issues. Routledge.
Sustainability.vicinity.com.au. 2020. Community Engagement - Vicinity Centres,
Sustainability. [online] Available at: <http://sustainability.vicinity.com.au/shaping-better-
communities/community-engagement/learn-more/> [Accessed 17 April 2020].
Sustainability.vicinity.com.au. 2020. SHAPING BETTER COMMUNITIES - Vicinity Centres,
Sustainability. [online] Available at: <http://sustainability.vicinity.com.au/shaping-better-
communities/> [Accessed 17 April 2020].
Sustainability.vicinity.com.au. 2020. Sustainability Engagement - Vicinity Centres,
Sustainability. [online] Available at: <http://sustainability.vicinity.com.au/shaping-better-
communities/sustainability-engagement/learn-more/> [Accessed 17 April 2020].
Sustainability.vicinity.com.au. 2020. Vicinity Centres, Sustainability - Vicinity Centres,
Sustainability. [online] Available at: <http://sustainability.vicinity.com.au/> [Accessed 17
April 2020].
Vicinity.com.au. 2020. Vicinity Centres, About Us, Our Story. [online] Available at:
<https://www.vicinity.com.au/about-us/about-us> [Accessed 17 April 2020].