Andy Symington
About Andy Symington
Andy Symington is a Manager of Human Rights & Social Impact at KPMG Australia and a PhD candidate at UNSW, focusing on corporate engagement with Indigenous communities in South America's lithium extraction industry. He has extensive experience as a travel author and freelance journalist, and he is passionate about human rights and social justice.
Work at KPMG Australia
Andy Symington has served as the Manager of Human Rights & Social Impact at KPMG Australia since 2021. In this role, he focuses on integrating human rights considerations into business practices and corporate strategies. His work involves advising clients on social impact initiatives and ensuring compliance with human rights standards. Based in Sydney, New South Wales, he has contributed to KPMG's efforts in promoting sustainable business practices within various sectors.
Education and Expertise
Andy Symington holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts with majors in Archaeology and Psychology from the University of Sydney, completed between 1993 and 1997. He also earned a Master of Human Rights Law & Policy from UNSW in 2017. He pursued a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at UNSW from 2018 to 2022, focusing on corporate engagement with Indigenous communities in the lithium extraction industry in South America. His academic background supports his expertise in human rights law and social impact.
Background
Before his current roles, Andy Symington worked as a Conference and Event Organizer at the Royal Institute of Navigation in London for seven months in 1996. He has been a Guidebook & Digital Content Author for Lonely Planet since 2001, which has allowed him to utilize his travel experiences and multilingual skills. His diverse background includes significant travel and engagement with various cultures, informing his work in human rights and social justice.
Achievements
Andy Symington has developed high-level research and analytical skills, particularly in the areas of business and human rights, corporate sustainability, and mineral supply chains. His doctoral research focuses on the rights of Indigenous communities in the context of lithium extraction, highlighting his commitment to social justice. He actively writes, presents, and teaches on these topics, contributing to the discourse on human rights issues and corporate responsibility.