Proudly supporting Indigenous businesses in Australia

It’s NAIDOC Week in Australia and a great opportunity to share the progress we’ve made in delivering one of the key commitments of our Innovate Reconciliation Plan (RAP). Last financial year we significantly increased our procurement of goods and services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses across our Australian locations. 

We exceeded our RAP commitment by 23 per cent, investing more than $25 million with Indigenous businesses across Australia.

South32 Vice President Supply, Rob Jackson, said: “I’m proud of the progress we’ve made and everyone who has worked hard to deliver outstanding results. We will continue to increase opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses to work with us in a meaningful way, helping them to support their own communities and improve lives now and for generations to come.”

Here's some great examples of how we’re partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses at some of our Australian locations:

Cannington awards security contract to Australian Indigenous Security Services

Cannington recently awarded its first supplier contract to Indigenous-owned and operated local business, Australian Indigenous Security Services (AISS). AISS was awarded a three-year contract to provide day and night security services at Cannington’s accommodation village.

Cannington Supply Lead, Michelle O’Brien, said: “We worked closely with two Indigenous businesses and four non-Indigenous businesses to tender for the contract, and we received great references from clients of AISS demonstrating their success in other remote operations. We’re looking forward to working with AISS and focussing on increasing Indigenous procurement opportunities at Cannington.”

Perth office awards commercial cleaning contract to Dimeo Indigenous 

Dimeo Indigenous was awarded a commercial cleaning services contract for our Perth office.

Dimeo Indigenous is a Supply Nation registered and certified joint venture with majority Indigenous ownership and control. The business was formed in 2020 to deliver long-lasting social and economic benefits to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples around Australia.  

Working together with Dimeo Indigenous, we’ll provide career and skills development opportunities for its Indigenous employees, with preference given to Indigenous suppliers. For example, all cleaning products used by Dimeo Indigenous will be sourced from Indigenous-owned businesses.

Worsley Alumina hosts Indigenous Supplier Open Day

To keep momentum and increase opportunities for Indigenous businesses, in 2021, Worsley Alumina hosted its first Indigenous Supplier Open Day. Local suppliers showcased their products and services to our operational teams and Worsley’s major contractors. As a result, 17 suppliers were pre-qualified and eight Indigenous businesses have since been engaged.  

Mitchell Matera, Managing Director of electrical and instrumentation company, Maali Group, said the event was one of the best open days for Indigenous businesses they had been to.

Worsley has made incredible progress, with its FY22 Indigenous businesses spend of over $1 million surpassing our RAP commitment by more than 5,000 per cent, and its operational stretch target by eight per cent.