When Darren Hammond, a proud Gomeroi man, joined Insurance Australia Group (IAG) in 2022 as Indigenous Engagement Manager, it marked the beginning of a significant shift for one of Australia's largest insurers. With the nation's changing climate intensifying bushfires, floods, and cyclones, Darren's role quickly evolved beyond the traditional corporate mandate.

Today, he's helping reshape how Australia's insurance industry engages with First Nations communities, integrating tens of thousands of years of Indigenous ecological knowledge into disaster preparedness and resilience.

Growing up in Moree in New South Wales, his path wasn't straightforward. He attended local public schools, completing Year 12 without clarity about what the future held. It took him until age 35 to complete his first degree, illustrating a career shaped not by traditional timelines but by resilience and discovery.

Darren spent much of his early working life in retail, where confronting moments of discrimination from customers sharpened his understanding of inequality and injustice. A turning point came when he transitioned from a Teller role at Westpac into their Indigenous Careers team—a pivotal moment where Darren realised his work could not only advance his career but uplift others.

Inspired by leaders like Stan Grant and Barack Obama, Darren embraces leadership defined by humility, inclusion, and moral courage, qualities he credits to the foundational influence of his grandparents, mother and the tight-knit community that raised him.

"IAG has made huge strides in embedding reconciliation into its core business strategy, but our work isn't done," says Darren. "The climate crisis has made it clear that traditional practices, especially around land management and disaster resilience, aren't just culturally significant—they're essential."

Darren reflects that much of his own journey to reconciliation grew out of seeing firsthand the disparity in opportunities between Moree and Sydney.

"I believe reconciliation is something the rest of the country needs to come to terms with—to acknowledge the true history and heal, so we can move forward as a society that celebrates the beauty and strength of our culture," Darren explains. Community resilience, he says, isn't solely about disaster response, but also about local economies and wellbeing.

IAG, home to brands like NRMA Insurance, CGU, and WFI Insurance, recently launched its fifth Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), embedding ambitious commitments deep within its operations. Central to this new RAP is a significant uplift in Indigenous procurement—committing $10 million over three years, representing a 68% increase—and a sharper focus on career development and workplace safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees.

Christine Stasi, IAG's Group Executive for People, Performance & Reputation, sees the integration of reconciliation into daily operations as key: "We've made significant progress in integrating our RAP with our business strategy, recognising the most impact we can have is through our direct business operations."

Underpinning this commitment is a recognition that procurement isn't just about economic opportunity—it's about empowering Indigenous communities in resilience-building efforts. Darren highlights that partnering with Indigenous organisations such as the Aboriginal Carbon Foundation, which began back in 2022, demonstrates how IAG is creating tangible outcomes by combining Indigenous expertise with modern risk management strategies.

"We're investing heavily in Indigenous suppliers, not just to tick a box, but because it has real economic benefits for communities," Darren explains. "When Indigenous businesses thrive, so do the communities they support."

At the heart of IAG's resilience strategy is embedding First Nations knowledge, particularly around traditional land management practices such as cultural burning, into modern disaster response frameworks. Darren points to the increased frequency and severity of extreme weather as a catalyst for deeper collaboration with Indigenous communities.

"First Nations communities possess deep ecological knowledge and an understanding of Country developed over 65,000 years," Darren says. "Practices like cultural burning have already proven to reduce the intensity of bushfires, regenerate ecosystems, and strengthen community resilience."

IAG actively promotes this knowledge through initiatives such as sponsoring the documentary The Knowledge Keeper, aired on SBS On Demand, to educate broader audiences on Indigenous fire management practices. The insurer has also partnered with the Australian Red Cross and through the Insurance Council of Australia, has engaged researchers like Bhiamie Williamson from the Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research to embed First Nations leadership into disaster resilience policies.

Reflecting on his personal experiences, Darren recalls moments of discrimination growing up in Moree and later during his retail career. "Discrimination was something many of us experienced at one point or another," Darren shares openly. These experiences have profoundly shaped his approach to advocacy for cultural safety within corporate Australia.

"I'm really proud that IAG is taking meaningful steps to address discrimination—not just for mob, but for all culturally diverse people within our organisation," Darren emphasises. "My own experiences, along with conversations and research from leading experts, have ignited a fire in me to advocate for culturally safe spaces."

Now Chair of Deadly Science, a not-for-profit aiming to create STEM equity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners, Darren stresses the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in Indigenous engagement. "Embedding Indigenous Engagement into business strategy is a challenge—and an opportunity—that motivates me every day," he says.

At IAG, Darren also learned the importance of personal wellbeing. Last year, experiencing burnout, Darren credits IAG's supportive environment and flexible working arrangements for helping him recover. "Being able to work from Moree for a short period really helped me manage my wellbeing," he says candidly.

Looking to the future, Darren wants his legacy at IAG to include systemic change that benefits future generations, embedding Indigenous Engagement into core business planning and influencing industry-wide improvements.

"At IAG, we don't just talk about reconciliation—we're making it central to how we do business," Darren concludes. "That's the change I'm proudest to be part of."