Why join Supply Nation?

Supplier diversity has significant and measurable long-term business benefits. Almost half a century of data from the United States indicates that diverse supply chains are more sustainable, flexible and innovative. Supply Nation membership can be a catalyst for growth in your organisation as your procurement team unlocks the potential and value of including Indigenous businesses in your supply chain.

If your organisation has a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) or is thinking about developing one,
Supply Nation membership is an essential component to include. You will also have access to research and data to inform Corporate Social Responsibility reporting and measure your social impact.

What is supplier diversity?

Supplier diversity is a global movement designed to harness planned and budgeted procurement spend and redirect it to traditionally under-represented businesses where it can create greater social good and give businesses a strong competitive advantage. Supplier diversity offers under-represented businesses the same opportunities to compete for business as other qualified suppliers and drives a range of business benefits, including sustainability, flexibility, innovation and value. A proactive approach is required to change entrenched organisational processes: historical practices and commercial habits tend to limit opportunities for new suppliers.

Supply Nation’s world-leading 5-step verification process provides peace of mind that the businesses on Indigenous Business Direct are truly Indigenous owned. Supply Nation membership provides the support to provide a level playing field for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers.

Unlock membership benefits:

Access training and development to build your supplier diversity program based on global and local best practice

Work with your dedicated relationship manager to develop a tailored supplier diversity action plan for your organisation

Meet, connect with and mentor Supply Nation Certified and Registered Indigenous business owners and managers to explore opportunities to work together

Attend networking events to learn and share information about supplier diversity with individuals and companies with the same goals and challenges

Supply Nation members access:

  • Guidance and support based on your organisation’s supplier diversity journey, on a range of different areas such as IPP and policy guidance, second tiering arrangements

  • Business matching support and advice to help you find the right Indigenous businesses for your organisational requirements

  • Support in developing short and long-term roadmaps with your Membership Management Plan

  • Supplier diversity policies and procedure development support and feedback

  • Support reviewing procurement spend and forecasting future procurement opportunities

  • Yearly reviews and check-ins throughout the year

  • In-house training to drive greater procurement outcomes

  • Enhanced search functionality on Indigenous Business Direct including member-only data-set (employee numbers, revenue, insurances, and more)

  • Member Opportunity Board promotes your organisation’s tenders, RFQs and EOIs to all Indigenous businesses with direct targeting to Certified Indigenous businesses

  • One complimentary attendee per calendar year at ‘First Step’ and ‘Next Step’, our full day action planning workshops for supplier diversity basics and best practice, respectively

  • Complimentary access to bite-sized supplier diversity training

  • Invitations to exclusive networking events, including meet-the-supplier and Trade Fairs across the country

  • Discounted tickets to Supply Nation events, including the annual Connect conference and tradeshows

  • Eligibility for nomination in the Supplier Diversity Awards presented at Connect each year

  • Access to the Supply Nation member logo for use on RAPs, marketing materials, websites, email auto-signatures, tender documentation etc.

Membership add-ons

Need more support? Members can also access on-demand services

Service Inclusion
In-house First Step First Step training hosted at your office for up to 25 employees.
Supplier Diversity support Block time support (up to one day) Relationship Manager supplier diversity support on your projects, tenders and opportunities.
Training support Half day Relationship Manager workshop provided to your team up to 25 staff members. Includes training preparation by the Relationship Manager.
Event support Relationship Manager support and attendance at your supplier diversity event for up to half day (includes up to 2 hours preparation and support).
SupplyStream API The SupplyStream API provides your organisation real-time, accurate data with automated access to Supply Nation supplier data (exclusive to members only). This means you will receive any change to Indigenous business information as soon as we have it all in your own system.

Member exclusive tools

SpendTracker is an easy-to-use tool to track and measure spend with Supply Nation’s Indigenous businesses. Measure your achievement over time and gain critical insights into where to focus your spend. Produce reports and illustrate year on year progress. Exclusive to Supply Nation’s members, SpendTracker makes tracking your spend with Indigenous businesses easy and reporting for your RAP simple and intuitive.

A business mentoring program that links skilled volunteers from Supply Nation member organisations to Indigenous businesses in need of support or guidance. Through Jumpstart, volunteers from participating member organisations can offer professional skills and experience to help build capability within Indigenous businesses. This makes a real difference by providing a network of advisors for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business owners which otherwise doesn’t exist.

SupplyStream allows you to connect to the Supply Nation database in real time, permitting data about the suppliers on our database directly into your procurement/purchasing system. SupplyStream creates a link between our system and yours for an integrated database​ making it easier than ever to procure from Indigenous businesses.

  • Our events

    Supply Nation runs events all year to provide members with learning and networking opportunities.

    Connect


    Connect is Supply Nation’s annual flagship event for the Indigenous business sector. The event brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, corporate organisations and government departments for a one-day event to foster new business opportunities and celebrate the success of the sector.

    Supply Nation Members and Registered and Certified Suppliers are entitled to discounted tickets to Connect. Find out more at connect.supplynation.org.au

  • Our events

    Supply Nation runs events all year to provide members with learning and networking opportunities.

    First Step training


    First Step is held once per quarter around the country. Each member receives one complimentary attendance at First Step each year (additional attendance is $499 per person). This full-day session introduces supplier diversity, and equips attendees with a supplier diversity action plan to implement on their return to the business.

  • Our events

    Supply Nation runs events all year to provide members with learning and networking opportunities.

    Bite-sized training


    We actively listen to the needs of our members. Our bite-sized member training series is held around Australia with topics addressing current challenges and best practices to embed supplier diversity into your supply chain. Complimentary for your whole team, these 2-3 hour sessions are open to all members.

  • Our events

    Supply Nation runs events all year to provide members with learning and networking opportunities.

    Meet Indigenous businesses


    Throughout the year, Supply Nation and our partners hold trade fairs, networking event and opportunity briefings to which our members and suppliers are invited. We typically include these invitations within our monthly newsletter communications.

Join Supply Nation

Forty-five years of evidence from the US demonstrates that a diverse supply chain brings significant business benefits – sustainability, innovation and flexibility.

Australian data shows that spending with Indigenous businesses creates greater social benefits than the dollar amount on the invoice.

So why not join Supply Nation, and help divert your procurement spend to where it will create positive social impact?