The Accor hotel group has reinforced its commitment to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians, confirming its support as official hotel partner for the inaugural Corroboree festival to be held in Sydney this November.

The Sebel Pier One Sydney, Mercure Sydney, Novotel Sydney Central, Ibis World Square, The Sebel Surry Hills Sydney, and the Mercure Sydney Potts Point will be involved as key accommodation and promotional partners during the event, a celebration of Indigenous heritage and contemporary Aboriginal culture.

Simon McGrath, chief operating officer of Accor Pacific said, “Accor’s own corporate vision to at once celebrate and raise the profile of indigenous ambassadors and their culture, both at work and in a broader community context, so the festival is a natural alliance for us.

“Accor is always proud to support new platforms to promote Indigenous culture, and to take a leadership role in developing new opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

“We currently achieve this with the support of organisations as diverse as Reconciliation Australia, Tourism Australia, Mission Australia, Ayres Rock Resort, Supply Nation, the NRL and the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), but we’re very excited to working with Corroboree as our newest collaborator in an arts and culture capacity.”

Accor has a commitment to actively seeking, training and hiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees and held 20 Indigenous Employment Training Programs around Australia in 2012 which saw the successful employment of over 100 Indigenous career seekers.

The group was awarded the 2012 Corporate Partner Award by the Aboriginal Employment Strategy for its positive contribution to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the local community.