Indigenous suppliers

By purchasing from an Indigenous business, UQ can contribute to the engagement of Indigenous staff and suppliers in their own supply chain.

UQ's Indigenous Procurement Strategy 2022-2025 (PDF, 222.8 KB) was developed in alignment with the UQ Strategic Plan 2022-2024 (PDF, 2.6 MB) and Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-2022 (PDF, 4.9 MB) (RAP). Through this strategy, we have made a commitment to increase spend with Indigenous businesses and remove barriers to Indigenous business engagement. The Indigenous Procurement Strategy Report 2022 (PDF, 366.6 KB) provides details of our actions and achievements in 2022.

Learn how you can buy from Indigenous businesses and other social enterprises in the Where to buy guide (staff login required). For more information on The University of Queensland's committment to reconciliation, visit Reconciliation at UQ.

Research published by Supply Nation found that for every dollar spent with an Indigenous business, $4.41 was generated for the community*. You can help promote buying from Indigenous businesses by displaying a poster in high-traffic areas.

Download the poster

*Source: supplynation.org (as at 3 July 2024)

What to purchase from Indigenous suppliers

The Indigenous business sector is wide-ranging and there are Indigenous suppliers able to provide for most of UQ's purchases.

Consider Indigenous businesses for regular hospitality, training and marketing services. These low-value or low-risk purchases play an important role in developing a relationship with the business and allowing them to scale-up gradually to larger procurements.

Goods or services that relate inherently to Indigenous culture should always be purchased from an Indigenous supplier. These include, for example, local Indigenous tours, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander products, art, literature, music, cultural training or other items involving Indigenous knowledge.

The Indigenous Procurement Strategy 2022-2025 (PDF, 214 KB) includes a full definition of inherently related goods and services.

Finding Indigenous suppliers

UQ has a number of Indigenous suppliers available in UniFi or through approved supply arrangements. You can download a list of current UniFi Indigenous payees (staff login required) (PDF, 170.4 KB).

You can also find Indigenous suppliers through:

Supply Nation – Indigenous Business Direct
- This database provides a list of Indigenous suppliers across Australia and can be used to search for suppliers in various categories.

Supply Nation Member Opportunity Board
- This member-only platform can be used to promote and advertise procurement and non-procurement opportunities directly to Indigenous businesses.
- Use of the Board is recommended for all goods or services inherently related to Indigenous culture.
- Contact UQ Procurement (procurement@uq.edu.au) for access to the Member Opportunity Board.

Black Business Finder (BBF)
- The Queensland Government’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business register can be used to search for Queensland-based Indigenous suppliers across a range of goods and services.

Indigenous suppliers

What to purchase from Indigenous suppliers

Finding Indigenous suppliers

UQ Procurement