Protecting Indigenous Communities from Covid

Protecting vulnerable Indigenous communities against the threat of covid has been a priority of Dutjahn Sandalwood Oils and the K Farmer Dutjahn Foundation - an objective made possible through collaboration with customers and communities in some of WA’s most remote areas.

Many Indigenous people live in remote areas where there is little access to resources like hand sanitisers that can help limit the spread of the Covid-19.

Through collaboration with local communities and our customers in fragrance and personal care, we were able to promote hand hygiene in some of Western Australia’s most remote Aboriginal communities.

Indigenous Australian Rules Football player Francis Watson generously championed the project with the support of his team the West Coast Eagles to help protect lives and livelihoods in the Western Deserts. He used social media to explain to communities the importance of hand sanitisation to limit the spread of the virus.

With the support of our customers, Indigenous people across the state also received vital products that improve hand hygiene. Through the kind donation of Aesop, communities received more than 10,000 hand wash and hand sanitising products, compliant with the Australian Department of Health guidelines. To support the urgent need, Givaudan also fast-tracked manufacturing of 250,000 hand sanitising sachets from Glasshouse Fragrances featuring Australian sandalwood – a botanical long-used for healing in Indigenous culture.

“Collaboration lay at the heart of this success. When we work together with shared values, incredible things can be achieved quickly - and nature-based solutions are one of our most important allies,” said Guy Vincent, Chief Executive Officer.

“Business needs to be bold and understand that ethical business is good business.”

This project would not have been possible with the kind support of Givaudan Foundation, Givaudan, Aesop, Glasshouse Fragrances, Quokka Watson and the West Coast Eagles.