Supply Nation Certified

1. Check eligibility: Confirm your business is at least 50% owned and controlled by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is the core eligibility requirement — there is no waiver or exception.

1. Gather required documents: Collect proof of Indigenous identity (e.g., a letter from a recognised Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation), business registration documents (ABN, ASIC records), and ownership/control documentation (shareholder agreements, constitutions, or partnership agreements).

1. Create a Supply Nation account: Register on the Supply Nation website to access the online application portal and begin your submission.

1. Complete the application form: Fill out the online application form in full, providing details about your business, its ownership structure, and operations.

1. Submit documentation: Upload all required supporting documents through the portal. Ensure all documents are current and clearly demonstrate majority Indigenous ownership and control.

1. Await review: Supply Nation staff will review your application and documentation. They may contact you for clarification or additional information during this process.

1. Receive certification: Once approved, your business will be listed in the Supply Nation supplier database and receive your certified status, digital badge, and access to the buyer network.

1. Renew annually: Maintain your certification by submitting updated documentation and confirming continued eligibility each year at renewal time.

Supply Nation Certified evaluates a single core criterion: whether the applicant business is genuinely at least 50% owned and controlled by Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. The assessment is a documentation review conducted by Supply Nation staff — there is no scored exam or performance-based evaluation.

Identity verification: Applicants must provide proof of Indigenous identity for each Indigenous owner. This typically takes the form of a letter of confirmation from a recognised Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation, community council, or Land Council. Government-issued identification alone is generally not sufficient.

Business ownership documentation: Applicants must demonstrate the ownership structure of the business, showing that Indigenous Australians hold at least 50% of the equity or shares. Relevant documents include ASIC company extracts, shareholder registers, partnership agreements, trust deeds, or constitutions.

Control verification: Ownership alone is not sufficient — the business must also be controlled by Indigenous Australians. This means Indigenous owners must hold decision-making authority, typically evidenced through directorship records, governance documents, or statutory declarations confirming operational control.

Business registration: A valid Australian Business Number (ABN) and current business registration are required. The business must be legally registered and operating in Australia.

All submitted documentation is assessed holistically by Supply Nation staff. Incomplete applications or those where ownership/control cannot be clearly established will be returned for additional information before a decision is made.

Supply Nation Certified is the most widely recognised Indigenous business certification in Australia, operating as the de facto national standard for verifying Indigenous business ownership. With over 2,500 certified businesses in its supplier database and a buyer network that collectively spends more than $1 billion annually with Indigenous suppliers, it holds a dominant position in the Australian supplier diversity landscape. There is no direct domestic competitor offering an equivalent nationally recognised certification specifically for Indigenous businesses.

The program's relevance has grown significantly alongside the proliferation of Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) among Australian corporations and government agencies. Many organisations with RAPs — particularly those at the "Stretch" or "Elevate" level — set explicit targets for Indigenous procurement, and Supply Nation Certified status is the primary way buyers identify eligible suppliers. The Australian Government's Indigenous Procurement Policy (IPP), which mandates set-asides and targets for Commonwealth contracts, has further driven demand for certified Indigenous suppliers.

Internationally, the model is comparable to minority business enterprise certification programs in the United States (such as those run by the NMSDC) and Canada, though Supply Nation's program is unique in its focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and its integration with Australia's specific policy and reconciliation frameworks. Demand for the certification is growing as ESG reporting requirements increase and more corporations seek to demonstrate measurable social procurement outcomes. The program's free-to-apply model removes a significant barrier for small and micro Indigenous businesses, which makes it broadly accessible across sectors including construction, professional services, retail, and technology.

Supply Nation was established in 2009 as the Australian Indigenous Minority Supplier Council (AIMSC), modelled in part on the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) in the United States. It was founded with the support of major Australian corporations and the Australian Government to address the significant underrepresentation of Indigenous businesses in corporate and government supply chains. The Supply Nation Certified program launched alongside the organisation as its core verification mechanism, providing a trusted, standardised way for buyers to identify genuine Indigenous-owned businesses.

In 2012, the organisation rebranded from AIMSC to Supply Nation, reflecting its broader national ambitions and growing membership base. Over the following decade, the certified supplier database expanded substantially, and Supply Nation became embedded in Australia's reconciliation and procurement policy landscape. The introduction of the Australian Government's Indigenous Procurement Policy in 2015 — and its subsequent strengthening — significantly boosted demand for certified suppliers, as government agencies sought to meet mandatory procurement targets. By the mid-2020s, Supply Nation had grown to represent thousands of certified Indigenous businesses and hundreds of corporate and government buyers, cementing its role as the central infrastructure for Indigenous supplier diversity in Australia.