Beca joins efforts with iDiC to invest in the future of First Australians

Craig Lee (left), Australia Managing Director, Beca

Engineering consultancy group Beca has announced a strategic partnership with the Indigenous Defence and Infrastructure Consortium (iDiC), to support growth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses, bring financial security and create job opportunities.

iDiC facilitates the increased participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned and controlled businesses in the delivery of long-term nation building projects.

Beca eager to leave a mark

Beca Australia Managing Director, Craig Lee, has called the partnership a game changer, “Our people are eager to make a difference – the partnership with iDiC will help us achieve this.”

“Supporting the growth and development of Australian communities is already a corner stone of our business, but its critical to be partnering with iDiC to commit to supporting and nurturing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned businesses.”

“As one of iDiC’s twelve key strategic partners, we envision this journey together to be lasting, sharing our goals and looking for ways to advance each other’s missions.”

“I can’t wait to share our success along the way.”

One of the first joint projects will involve another iDiC partner, Origin Project Management (OriginPM), who provide project management services to Beca on the Defence Aviation Safety Regulation 139 Aerodromes Transition Project. Together Beca and OriginPM will assist Defence’s Aerodrome capability meet certification requirements and achieve best practice.

“This is just the beginning of many long-term contracts we endeavour to partner with iDiC’s many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned and managed businesses.”

“We have a lot to gain from purchasing from Indigenous businesses beyond products or services. Sharing of culture shifts the paradigm and provides First Australians with success.”

Beca and iDiC identify areas of interest

Beca and iDiC have identified several areas that will immediately benefit all Beca employees:

  • The roll out of an education and cultural competency training program.
  • Partnering on the development of our Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
  • Exploration of supply chain integration.
  • Joint ‘go-to-market’ initiatives to deliver projects in partnership for our clients.

Adam Goodes, 2014 Australian of the year, Chief Executive Officer and founder of iDiC,  is excited by the prospect of working with Beca and gave the following remarks.

“We have over 100 Indigenous businesses as part of the consortium that we will help Beca engage with, to create solutions as a supply chain aggregator and relationship manager.”

“We want to be part of your family and to add value where we can. That’s the best form of partnership – creating value for each other. I want to be clear this partnership has been deliberately considered to ensure both organisation’s needs and wants are represented.”

“The process has been a fantastic opportunity for Beca to better understand the cultures and experiences of First Australians and pay respects to one of the world’s oldest civilizations.”

Indigenous businesses to reap from Beca partnership

Daniel Joinbee Managing Director of Origin Project Management shared these remarks.

“Working with our partners at iDiC and Beca on this project is a great opportunity not just for Origin PM but the benefits will flow on to other Indigenous businesses”.

“The Beca business began over 100 years ago in New Zealand, it’s strong connection to local Māori communities has brought Te Ao Māori (The Māori world) into the Beca way of life.”

“The Kanohi Māori strategy seeks to align values both internally, between Te Ao Māori and Beca daily life, and externally, in our approach with Māori businesses (Iwi, hapū and whānau).”

“We are fortunate enough to be able to learn from our New Zealand business to incorporate better and more meaningful ways to understand and respect the histories and cultures of First Australians and shift the reconciliation goalposts here in Australia.”

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