On Wednesday we hosted the ARA Leaders Forum 2023 – our first in-person industry conference in several years; proudly opened by Federal Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP.
This truly is an industry-leading event – with exclusive agenda-setting conversations to help our leaders navigate the year ahead – from economic challenges to sustainability and inclusion, attracting and retaining talent, supply chain challenges, innovation and so much more.
For those who couldn’t make it in person, stay tuned for highlights of the key presentations, keynotes and panels. With this year’s forum a sell-out success, make sure you reserve your spot early for our 2024 event which will expand to two days.
Last Friday saw the official launch of Sydney WorldPride. Genuine inclusion of LGBTQ+ people is vital to the retail sector, and WorldPride is a fantastic opportunity for retailers to demonstrate their commitment to diversity, equality and inclusion.
We celebrate and applaud retailers in our community who have committed to our industry-wide position statement to build more inclusive workplaces. For those who would like to sign up or read more, you can do so here.
So much of what we do at the ARA is buoyed by the support of our exclusive partner community. One of our most enduring relationships has been with American Express and this year, the ARA is very proud to announce the strengthening of that relationship with American Express becoming our ARA Principal Partner. This inaugural partnership will make it possible for us to do even more to support small businesses and the retail community during a period of economic disruption and recovery.
A leader in payments and the founder of the national Shop Small movement, American Express has extensive experience backing both the ARA and the retail sector.
As part of the strengthened partnership, American Express and the ARA will release exclusive insights and data on the performance of SMBs – and advocate to address challenges in the sector.
The principal partnership marks a first for the ARA as we celebrate our 120-year history.
I look forward to keeping you up to date on the work that will be undertaken as part of this exciting partnership.
