Allens signs up for Indigenous business program
10 December 2009
Allens Arthur Robinson (Allens) has today signed an agreement with Indigenous business Message Stick for the provision of audio and web conferencing services as part of a pilot project linking Indigenous businesses with some of Australia's biggest organisations.
Allens Chief Executive Partner Michael Rose signed the agreement at a ceremony in Sydney attended by Message Stick Group CEO Michael McLeod and Federal Minister for Employment Participation Senator Mark Arbib.
Allens and construction giant Leighton Holdings, which also signed an agreement with Message Stick today, are taking part in the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC), which is a pilot project that links Indigenous businesses with some of Australia's biggest organisations.
The agreements between Message Stick, Allens and Leighton Holdings are for two years and are together worth about $2 million in revenue to Message Stick.
Senator Arbib said AIMSC was designed to change the way corporate Australia engaged with Indigenous Australia and was inspired by similar successful models from the US, Canada and the UK.
'Without support from major corporates we could not hold this project, which introduces Indigenous-owned businesses to corporate members, with the goal of building strong commercial relationships,' the Senator said.
'As we have seen overseas, this model has enormous potential to boost Indigenous business participation and create sustainable jobs for Indigenous Australians and the results so far are very pleasing.'
AIMSC so far has 17 corporate members, with 10 Indigenous suppliers having been formally certified with another round of suppliers due to be certified soon. To date, AIMSC has facilitated $1.25m in direct contracts between members and suppliers.
Ends
For further information, please contact:
- Jason SilveriiCorporate Communications Manager,
Melbourne
Ph: +61 3 9613 8014
Jason.Silverii@allens.com.au
Notes for editors.
Allens Arthur Robinson has staff in 14 cities and eight countries across the Asia Pacific.