Icon representing Australia Australia
New Zealand New Zealand
New Zealand New Zealand
Icon representing Australia Australia
ASX Share Price:
  • About us
    • About us

      Downer is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and employs more than 26,000 people.

      Learn more
      • Overview
      • Executive Leadership Team
      • Our Purpose
      • Our Expertise
      • Our Policies
      • Our Culture
      • Board of Directors
      • Company history
      • Overview
      • Our Expertise
      • Board of Directors
      • Executive Leadership Team
      • Our Policies
      • Company history
      • Our Purpose
      • Our Culture
  • What we do
    • What we do

      Downer is a leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand.

       

      Learn more
      • Sectors
      • Transport
      • Energy & Utilities
      • Facilities
      • Defence
      • Sectors
      • Transport
      • Energy & Utilities
      • Facilities
      • Defence
  • Investors
    • Investors

      View our latest ASX announcements as well as financial reporting, key dates and shareholder information.

      Learn more
      • Home
      • Results Centre
      • ASX announcements
      • Webcasts and presentations
      • Share price
      • Key dates
      • Corporate governance
      • Annual General Meetings
      • Shareholder information
      • Dividend information
      • Other information
      • Home
      • Share price
      • Shareholder information
      • Results Centre
      • Key dates
      • Dividend information
      • ASX announcements
      • Corporate governance
      • Other information
      • Webcasts and presentations
      • Annual General Meetings
  • News and media
    • News and media

      View the latest news from Downer as well as our capability brochures.

      Learn more
      • Latest news
      • Media contact
      • Whitepapers
      • Downer podcasts
      • Latest news
      • Media contact
      • Whitepapers
      • Downer podcasts
  • Sustainability
    • Sustainability

      We understand the importance of having a responsible and forward-thinking approach to sustainability.

      Learn more
      • 2024 Sustainability Report
      • Relationships
      • Modern Slavery
      • Case studies
      • ESG materials
      • Climate Change and Decarbonisation
      • Governance
      • Environment and climate change
      • Safety, health and wellbeing
      • People
      • 2024 Sustainability Report
      • ESG materials
      • Environment and climate change
      • Relationships
      • Climate Change and Decarbonisation
      • Safety, health and wellbeing
      • Modern Slavery
      • Governance
      • People
      • Case studies
  • People and careers
    • People and careers

      Our people are fundamental to the culture and success of Downer.

      Learn more
      • Home
      • Our people
      • Downer benefits
      • Life at Downer
      • Current opportunities
      • Own Respect
      • Inclusion and belonging
      • Report a concern
      • Home
      • Life at Downer
      • Inclusion and belonging
      • Our people
      • Current opportunities
      • Report a concern
      • Downer benefits
      • Own Respect
  • Contact us
    • Contact us

      Downer has over 300 sites across Australia and New Zealand with our head office based in Sydney.

      Learn more
      • Contact us
      • Supply to Downer
      • Construction partners
      • Contact us
      • Supply to Downer
      • Construction partners

Sustainability Report 2022

  • Sustainability Report 2022
  • About this report
  • Sustainability snapshot
  • Chairman and CEO message
  • Materiality and stakeholder engagement
  • Material topics
    • Governance
    • Health and safety
    • Environment
    • People
    • Relationships
  • GRI Standards
  • Climate change report
We have detected you are accessing the site from
Do you want to be redirected to the Downer site?
Go to Downer
Stay on  Site
Are you sure you want to leave this page?
This link is taking you to a site outside of Downer
Go to Site  Stay on Site
Embedded Video

Ashhab

‘Our People Their Stories’ also celebrates our diverse workforce, which is made up of more than 40,000 people who are all different. Different preferences and perspectives. Different heritages and different beliefs.

This month, we share insights from our colleague Ashhab Bari, who joined Downer’s Professional Services business in April 2020. Ashhab known as Ash, works in the Defence Capability team and as a Strategic Writer for the Army – Land Capability Division. In this role, Ash supports project teams with navigating the Capability Life Cycle and is responsible for producing Cabinet and Ministerial submissions for all Land projects.

We caught up with Ash to learn more about Ramadan which is a sacred month for Muslims. As an Inclusion & Belonging Steering Committee member, Ash wanted to share his story to create more awareness and understanding about Ramadan and the Muslim community.

Born in Bangladesh and moving with his family to Australia at the age of 5, Ash grew up in Canberra and studied at the Australian National University. Reflecting on his formative years, Ash says “Canberra was a great place to grow up. The people are friendly and it’s a more relaxed pace of life here.”

As a practising Muslim, Ash observes Ramadan, which is the holy month of fasting observed by Muslims around the world and is an integral part of the religion of Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. This means waking up before sunrise to eat breakfast, known as ‘suhoor’ and then abstaining from eating and drinking anything (even water) until ‘iftar’ which is when Muslims break their fast, after sunset. 

In Canberra, it has been interesting for Ash to see Ramadan change over the years with the growth of the Muslim community in his local area. Ash says “Initially, Ramadan meant sharing iftar only with family members. These days, Ramadan can be celebrated more collectively, with communities and mosques hosting open invite iftars and dinners with close friends and family.”

Throughout Ramadan at work, it’s business as usual for Ash.  

Ash says colleagues shouldn’t feel bad if they forget that a Muslim colleague is fasting and invite them to lunch. For him personally, he likes to “eat vicariously”. In the office, Ash feels grateful to have a manager and team who respect and accept him for who he is and his beliefs. Ash says “My team understands that practising my beliefs is important for my well-being. They know I’m fasting, so meetings during Ramadan don’t run late into the evening, because I break my fast around 530pm, after sunset.”

It's these small but thoughtful gestures that make a big impact for Ash. “I appreciate my team and our approach to workplace flexibility. This approach really makes for a more inclusive environment, not just for me but everyone.”

Breaking the fast is a celebrated tradition for many Muslims during Ramadan and in Sydney the iftar night markets have grown increasingly popular for Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Ash recalls visiting the night markets and says “thousands of people flock to Lakemba during the month to visit food stalls, selling Turkish coffee, Jordanian baklava, Indonesian laksa, Afghani BBQ skewers, Bengali jilapi and even camel burgers. These stalls stay open between sunset to sunrise, so you can literally be eating until the next day.” 

Although it may not sound like it, Ash points out that Ramadan is not just about fasting. He says “it’s a time to reflect, practise self-restraint, and focus on the connections we have with our family, friends, community, and God. During the month, Muslims will try to increase their prayers, donate to charities and help those who are less fortunate.”

The month of Ramadan ends with a day of celebration and festivity called Eid. After morning prayers, families and friends will visit each other for a day of eating and gift-gifting. “Eid, brings food and people together to celebrate after a month of fasting. Ash says, “I can’t wait to celebrate with everyone and am most looking forward to cherishing that first sip of my morning coffee.” 


  • Copyright © 2025 Downer Group
  • NSW Master Security Licences
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact us
Image Preview