Covalent Lithium implemented Reward Gateway | Edenred and the LiFT application to centralise and scale recognition and benefits across all sites and employee groups.

The focus was on accessibility and simplicity so that everyone, from FIFO workers to office-based staff, could participate. LiFT is available on both mobile and desktop, making it easy to engage whether on site or at a desk.

“I think the LiFT application is brilliant. I have it on my phone, I have it on my desktop at work. To me, that accessibility is what makes it important.” - David Hutchings, Laboratory Superintendent, Covalent Lithium

The recognition process is intentionally straightforward, employees can “just click and post”, which helps foster frequent, visible shout-outs. Recognition posts are visible company-wide, enabling peers and teams to see, interact with, and celebrate each other’s contributions.

"Just the very simple thing of having people feel seen and valued. I think there's something quite powerful behind when you're able to communicate that in a way that is visible to your entire team, as well as the company more broadly and that others are able to interact and engage with that." - Stephanie O'Neill, Lead People Services, Covalent Lithium

The company also emphasised practical, everyday savings through the platform’s discounts, particularly on groceries, creating immediate, tangible value for employees and their families.

The platform's name was inspired by the chemical symbol for lithium (Li), representing both the company’s core business and the platform’s purpose of uplifting employees. Designed in the style of the periodic table, the branding resonated strongly across the workforce.

Key elements of Covalent Lithium’s approach included:

• Authentic branding: A name and design true to the organisation’s identity, integrating seamlessly with internal systems.

• Leadership buy-in: Executives and senior managers were engaged early, with visible participation (liking, commenting, posting) encouraged.

• Frontline engagement: Campaigns reached operational employees through daily pre-starts, toolbox talks, posters and on-site materials, ensuring inclusion beyond office staff.

• Alignment to performance: Peer-to-peer eCards and instant rewards were linked to Covalent’s business scorecard pillars: safety, production, cost and people.

• Cultural reinforcement: Ambassadors and top senders/receivers of recognition were celebrated, highlighting collaboration across teams.

The results

Platform adoption increased from an already high baseline of approximately 95% to 98% across the business, demonstrating broad engagement across mine, refinery, and corporate teams.

In the last 12 months, employees collectively saved roughly $30,000 through purchases made via the platform, with everyday categories such as groceries delivering 4–5% savings that feel like a pay rise without additional hours worked.

"I do use all of the discount codes. I'm probably one of the biggest users of that! One of the simplest ways to save money is to buy your groceries. A 4% savings at Coles or Woolworths adds up over time. How do you give yourself a 4% pay rise? That's what you're doing, and it's easy to do. It's not like you're working lots and lots of extra hours to get that money." - David Hutchings, Laboratory Superintendent, Covalent Lithium

LiFT has developed and reinforced a culture of positive recognition that complements the company’s business values and Health and Safety practices by encouraging people to identify and celebrate what is going well, not just what needs fixing. Employees describe feeling seen and appreciated, and they note that the discount savings and rewards flow on to benefit their families as well. In a time of rapid development, LiFT has helped Covalent Lithium mark milestones and recognise the wins that sustain momentum toward building a truly world-class operation.

"In my role in Health and Safety, when we go out there, we are trying to identify defects so we can fix them. But what LiFT is doing is that we are trying to identify the positives as well. So it's definitely the direction of the culture that we want, when you're working with someone, we want to see the positives." - Daisy Tristanto, Health & Safety Superintendent, Covalent Lithium

• Recognition is now consistent and aligned across all sites

• Executive participation has set the tone, driving high engagement

• Employees link everyday behaviours to business scorecard goals (safety, production, cost, people)

• Recognition moments are visible across the organisation, boosting connection and collaboration

• Campaigns celebrating top senders and cross-team recognition reinforce desired behaviours

“If you don't have anything currently in place or you're still doing things manually, this is a really awesome way to really leverage a system set up that is going to reinforce consistently the approach that you want to take as a business and it makes life easier.” - Amanda Stewart, General Manager People & Culture, Covalent Lithium