Session 4. Oral Presentation for: Partnering with purpose: advancing Indigenous-led outcomes through collaboration

Presented on 19 May 2026: Session 4 Sustainable project delivery demands more than technical expertise; it requires a genuine commitment to community outcomes. This paper by Downer and the Woollahra Group (Woollahra) demonstrates how purposeful partnerships with Indigenous businesses, grounded in aligned objectives and meaningful social procurement strategies, can create lasting value for both industry and community. With more than A$65 million spent across 96 Indigenous suppliers in FY24, Downer’s approach focuses on building sustainable capability rather than simply achieving spend targets. Woollahra, a 100% Indigenous-owned business, is engaged by Downer as a chemical supplier supporting Chevron Australia’s (Chevron’s) Barrow Island and Wheatstone operations. Woollahra and Downer collaborate through Woollahra’s innovative business model, whereby products purchased by Downer directly support Traditional Owners through shared-revenue funding. This enables Woollahra to reinvest in cultural, environmental, business development, employment, health, and education initiatives across Indigenous communities. By providing Woollahra with visibility of Downer’s committed spend and future opportunities, the partnership has enabled Woollahra to establish supply-chain traineeship pathways for two Indigenous school leavers. Building on this foundation, the next phase involves creating specialised work-experience opportunities to supplement Woollahra’s existing Traineeship Program in Downer’s Perth quarantine and logistics hub, which services Chevron’s Barrow Island and Wheatstone operations. The need for inclusive, outcomes-focused partnerships is more pressing than ever. This extended abstract describes a replicable approach for embedding belonging, equity, and capability-building into operational delivery, ensuring that communities continue to benefit long after individual project milestones are achieved. To access the Oral Presentation click ‘Supplementary data’ below. To read the full paper click here