Supply Nation moves to tighten certification process

Supply Nation is to make changes to its certification practices in light of upcoming government amendments to the definition of an Indigenous business.

“While we wait for further details from the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) on how they plan to roll out the 51 per cent owned and controlled standard, we are taking an initial focus on our Certified Suppliers and how we can further elevate this cohort as the premium standard of certification nationally,” a statement to its members said on Friday.

Supply Nation chief executive Kate Russell told First Nations News the changes further uplifted the process.

“It gives us a chance to better understand our certified businesses and capture key data that allows them to be matched with contracts,” Ms Russell said.

“We believe this will lead to more contracts getting into the hands of Indigenous businesses.”

“Our processes have been independently audited as world leading, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do more.”

In 2026, Supply Nation will undertake 30-minute face-to-face interviews with Certified Suppliers as part of annual re-certification.

This will allow staff to engage proactively and better understand Certified Suppliers, as well as capture key business data such as revenue and geographic distribution, to improve business profiles.

Chief executive Kate Russell told First Nations News the changes further uplifted the process.

Accurate records

“This important data is how we, and our corporate, government and not-for-profit members, engage with suppliers. Having accurate records will increase the opportunities that come your way through business matching,” the statement said.

“It is also important for all stakeholders to continue to have complete confidence in Supply Nation’s processes and certification to maximise your business success.”

Interview process

Next year, all Certified Suppliers will receive an auto-generated email, six weeks in advance of their annual audit, requesting businesses book in a day and time for re-certification interviews. This will be rolled out in stages, meaning that businesses will be contacted throughout the year, not all at once.

Certified business owners will need to book in a time with one of Supply Nation’s Indigenous Business Officers to complete the re-certification interview. This interview will then verify the ownership, management and control components of your certification.

If businesses cannot or do not complete the interview within a reasonable timeframe, they may be reclassified as a Registered Supplier until they do.

• Businesses requesting more information can contact Supply Nation at customercare@supplynation.org.au.