Nous’ vision for reconciliation is for all Australians to understand, respect and value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, heritages and knowledge systems. This includes accepting our shared history and addressing its effects on Australian society. We aspire to a future in which all Australians have the same opportunities for social, economic and cultural prosperity, and a standard of living that is not compromised by identity. We support the shift in narrative from a deficit lens to a strengths-based approach that empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and contributes to self-determination.

At Nous, we strive for a bigger, better outcomes. When it comes to reconciliation, we understand this to mean systemic change. Achieving our vision will require shifts in mindsets and behaviours across governments, communities, organisations and the wider public. We are committed to supporting this shift as a whole organisation, most importantly through the work we do with clients every day.

Our ongoing commitment to collaborating with and learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is unwavering and we have made significant progress towards reconciliation since our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) was launched in 2014. Our successes, failures and learnings have helped us establish and strengthen the foundations required to support our current RAP and our work that directly and indirectly impacts First Nations people and communities.

An inclusive workforce that reflects contemporary Australia is critical to delivering performance and positive influence for our clients. Our Indigenous Employment Strategy is reviewed every two years. It outlines our approach as we seek to increase the proportion of Nousers who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to at least 4 per cent.

As part of this strategy, we collaborate with CareerTrackers to provide paid internship opportunities to Indigenous students. CareerTrackers honoured Nous with a 2019 Most Valued Partner Award. We also partner with the Aurora Education Foundation, creating an employment pathway for participants in its programs.

We welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to join Nous. Visit our careers page to learn more.

Nous is committed to support the economic prosperity and diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses by being Nous’ preferred suppliers. To achieve this, Nous has a strategy and vision in place to make a more conscious effort when choosing a supplier. We believe behind every purchase is an opportunity to procure from an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander business. With this in mind, we:

• Understand and are aware of opportunities to use Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers for procurement.
• Use Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers consistently when procuring goods and services and explore ways to assist their growth.
• Measure this strategy to make evidence-based decisions on its success.

Since implementing our procurement strategy we have increased the percentage and monetary value of spending on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses and improved our procurement processes, systems and governance.