Holcim Australia has partnered with Wirrigan Business Services to secure a reliable provider of general waste management while supporting the employment of Indigenous Australians.
Wirrigan provides a broad range of services in public and private organisations including facilities services, vehicle services and marketing services.
Holcim head of procurement for Australia and New Zealand Damien Sheehy said it was important for the company to support Traditional Owners and their businesses as they allow businesses to operate on their land.
“Our partnership with Wirrigan Business Services complements Holcim’s growing social procurement activities, focused on aligning our supplier spend with businesses that share our environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals,” Sheehy said.
“Wirrigan Business Services is a 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned business and we are proud to support them as their first major customer.”
Wirrigan managing director John McNamara said there was no greater compliment to the business than partnering with a major construction materials supplier like Holcim.
“The agreement with a larger global company speaks volumes on Holcim’s commitment and determination to support the Indigenous business sector,” McNamara said.
“The partnership will enable us to provide Aboriginal women a second chance at education, employment, and becoming community role models.”
Wirrigan was established in late 2020 and recently celebrated its first anniversary with a certification from Supply Nation – an organisation specialising in the accreditation of wholly-Indigenous owned businesses.
“It certainly has been a wonderful first year resulting in customer sustainable procurement outcomes and this Supply Nation certification is a huge milestone,” Wirrigan’s general manager Colin Kerr said in a LinkedIn post.
“Wirrigan Business Services has had support from some of the largest global corporate brands including Holcim Australia & New Zealand and Serco, as well as important Indigenous organisations such as the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of New South Wales to whom we are extremely grateful.”
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