Providing a seat at the table for equitable outcomes
As the Otago region continues to see significant growth and development, we at Aukaha, want to ensure we are providing positive opportunities for Māori and Pasifika individuals and businesses.
CEO Blog July 2023
To enable these positive opportunities, we work to harness the potential of increased economic activity, and to help sector partners be more inclusive in their supply chain and employment processes.
We’re committed to continue to establish ourselves in this area of broader outcomes and, in line with Government aims of a 5% increase in Māori and Pasifika businesses, we are keen to see manawhenua at the centre of relationships that guide procurement practices.
How do we do this?
The construction of the new Dunedin hospital will obviously be a key opportunity for the construction industry in years to come but we want to show Māori and Pasifika businesses that there are many opportunities out there besides the hospital.
Aukaha’s Mana Tākata team has been doing a lot of work to insert broader outcomes clauses into tender documents, while also ensuring to “close the loop” by sitting on evaluation panels. This allows us to set the scene for those businesses to be prosperous – and if Māori and Pasifika businesses are successful in gaining contracts, they’re more likely to hire Māori and Pasifika workers if they have continuity of work.
This broader outcomes work has the potential to make a real difference and the effect on the community is profound. Providing a seat at the table means Māori entities have equitable opportunities to access contracts and work that can have much wider positive impacts.
Bringing together socially-driven businesses and social enterprise suppliers to build business relationships generates wider social benefits for Māori and Pasifika people. That’s what sits at the heart of our social procurement processes and we’re committed to working in collaboration with our partners to facilitate supplier/contractor diversity and trade training in a range of sectors.
Nā Rachel Wesley, CEO