CCIWA’s Diversity and Inclusion Council took part in a corporate volunteering day at Good Sammy’s Canning Vale warehouse last week, highlighting how inclusive employment and sustainable business practices can operate at scale.
L-R: CCIWA’s Melanie Pool, Fateen Tahir, Kym Lloyd, Carly Shillam, Ash D’Rozario, Renee Bond, Clayton Yeats and Tracy Al Saidi. Front: CCIWA’s Vida Esmaeili and Cass Wright.
CCIWA’s Diversity and Inclusion Council took part in a corporate volunteering day at Good Sammy’s Canning Vale warehouse last week, highlighting how inclusive employment and sustainable business practices can operate at scale.
The visit formed part of CCIWA’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, giving council members and staff first-hand insight into how businesses can empower people living with disability.
After an introductory briefing and warehouse tour (staffed by 400 people), attendees sorted donated goods, untangled jewellery for resale and repurposed unusable textiles into industrial rags for export.
CCIWA Director People & Culture Tracy Al Saidi said the experience reinforced the importance of connecting ‘talk’ with real-world outcomes.
“It was a powerful, on-the-ground reminder that CCIWA must continue championing pathways that unlock participation for every Western Australian; policy work only matters when it translates into real opportunity,” she said.
“Good Sammy integrates inclusive design into everyday operations, proving that accessibility and productivity can scale together.”
While widely recognised for its retail op shops, Good Sammy’s broader operations support hundreds of Western Australians living with disability, reduces waste to landfill and showcases how social enterprises can scale sustainably.
At CCIWA, we are proud to champion diversity and recognise the achievements of people with disability through a range of initiatives, including the Ability Link project, which supports businesses to better understand inclusive employment and accessible workplace practices.
Apprenticeship Support Australia (ASA) WA State Manager Carly Shillam said Good Sammy’s mission closely aligned with the work ASA does to support inclusive, sustainable employment pathways.
“It was insightful to see how the right support structures can unlock capability and confidence,” she said.
As well as organising a corporate volunteering day, WA businesses looking to get involved with Good Sammy can utilise their services such as disability awareness training, packaging and assembly, gardening and property care, Containers for Change collection and catering.
Find out how We Welcome Different and opportunities to join our team.
