BHP will invest $20 million over two years in a new partnership with the Melbourne Business School to support its major Indigenous initiatives, including the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership.

Co-designed with Indigenous business leaders, Dilin Duwa was established in 2021 to advance meaningful change in Indigenous business communities through education, research and engagement.

The new partnership between Melbourne Business School and BHP also includes an option for BHP to make future contributions to the Dilin Duwa program up to its initial commitment.

Indigenous business is critical to the Australian economy, contributing over $16 billion in revenue each year and employing more than 116,000 people, footing a wage bill of $4.2 billion. Indigenous businesses are growing at an estimated average of 7.9% year on year.

Associate Professor Michelle Evans, Director of Dilin Duwa, said the investment would enable the centre to expand its program of work and expediate progress towards a shared goal of Indigenous economic empowerment.

“In three years, Dilin Duwa has made significant gains at the individual, firm and community levels in Australia, with over 150 Indigenous people completing our business programs. We have founded the Indigenous Economic Power Project to address policy visibility gaps in the Indigenous business sector and engaged more than 350 people across Australia through the Dilin Duwa Regional Business Series and through Dilin Duwa Online,” Associate Professor Evans said.

Professor Jenny George, Dean of Melbourne Business School, said the partnership was a natural fit and would help the school fulfil its purpose of unleashing ideas and leaders for a sustainable future.

“Melbourne Business School is a unique partnership between business and the academy. BHP was one of 40 corporate and philanthropic organisations who joined with the University of Melbourne to establish the School more than forty years ago. Educating business leaders and strengthening the Australian economy is why we exist. So, MBS and BHP coming together again to support a robust Indigenous business sector is central to that original vision for the School,” Professor George said.

BHP Chief Legal, Governance and External Affairs Officer, Caroline Cox, said: “BHP is committed to playing our part in creating economically empowered Indigenous Peoples and communities.

“Through our Reconciliation Action Plan, we have set ourselves the goal of procuring $1.5 billion of goods and services from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Traditional Owner businesses over the next three years to FY27.

“That’s why we have a clear interest in investing in the skills and capabilities of current and future Indigenous business leaders and the ecosystem which enables them, particularly as they may go on to become employees, suppliers and partners to BHP.

“BHP’s success is made possible through the success of those we partner and work with, which is why the work of Dulin Duwa and Melbourne Business School is so important.

“By working together to strengthen Indigenous business and leaders, we’ll also strengthen the wider Australian economy.”