EY launches dedicated practice in support of Indigenous procurement

Big Four professional services firm Ernst & Young has launched a dedicated practice aimed at supporting Indigenous business engagement and cultural awareness for its clients across Australia.

Led by managing partner Norman Laing, the ‘Office of First Nations Engagement’ will work in partnership with established Indigenous commercial organisations to support greater procurement opportunities for First Nations businesses.

As part of its own reconciliation action plan (RAP) journey, EY said it has maintained an Indigenous offering since 2015 in recognition of the need to boost First Nations communities through economic inclusivity and empowerment.

“Our intent is to contribute to ‘Closing the Gap’ by meaningfully and commercially engaging with First Nations businesses,” said Laing, a Dunghutti man of the NSW’s Mid North Coast region. “We are not passive; we actively support First Nations businesses, share our success with them, and assist them in making inter-generational changes throughout the communities.”

To pursue the endeavour, EY will work in partnership with non-profit Indigenous procurement certification and advocacy organisation Supply Nation and other Indigenous Chambers of Commerce throughout Australia to support clients in meeting their CSR (corporate social responsibility) commitments through greater supply chain diversity.

“Australian businesses are increasingly focused on competitive advantage, which can be enhanced by innovative approaches to supplier diversity,” said EY Oceania chief David Larocca. “By bringing these innovative supply chain solutions to clients, we’re confident that we can drive greater opportunities, commercial advantage, and economic empowerment in the community.”

Established in 2009 as the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council before later rebranding, Supply Nation today has a database of more than 5,000 verified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-owned businesses covering a broad range of sectors, along with a growing list of more than 850 corporate, government, and non-for-profit members in every state and territory.

Supply Nation CEO Kate Russell said EY’s shift to an external engagement model would encourage competition and add value. “It is an innovative approach, as rather than simply hiring Indigenous talent to service clients, EY is empowering local entrepreneurship and supporting the broader economic impact of First Nations businesses, which leads to greater prosperity for all.”

Laing, who before joining EY in late 2023 was a partner at PwC’s Indigenous Consulting (since bought by Deloitte and rebadged as Yamagigu), concluded: “Traditionally under-represented businesses require opportunities to change entrenched organisational and commercial practices. By working with organisations like Supply Nation we can accelerate these opportunities.”