Building an inclusive First Nations business ecosystem through Mandura

Coming back from the #Indigenomics movement in Toronto, it really hit me what a strong and self-determined First Nations economy can look like. In Canada, it’s already happening at scale. While people often reference a $100 billion economy, conversations with the #Indigenomics Institute suggest it’s closer to $260 billion. Back home, the Australian First Nations economy sits at around $16 billion. That gap isn’t about capability or ambition. It’s about the systems wrapped around our businesses.

At Mandura, and across the broader Nallawilli Group, we’re building something that is distinctly Australian. Not a copy of overseas models, but an approach grounded in partnership, cultural integrity and long-term impact. Through our joint venture with Winc, we’re able to combine commercial capability with a clear purpose. Making sure procurement dollars don’t just transact but actually circulate back into community.

That’s where the Pauline E. McLeod Foundation sits at the centre of everything we do.

When organisations choose to work with Mandura, they’re not just purchasing products or services. They’re contributing to a model where 20% of profits are reinvested back into community through the Foundation. This creates a strong multiplier effect, one which Supply Nation calculated in their 2025 Sleeping Giant Rises report, where every dollar spent has the potential to generate more than three times the impact through community programs, capability building and long-term opportunity creation.

The Pauline E. McLeod Foundation focuses on four key areas:

• First Nations Communities, First. This starts with genuine engagement, listening to what communities actually need and where the opportunities are. It’s about working alongside corporates, First Nations businesses and organisations to deliver outcomes that are led by community, not imposed on it.
• First Nations Mental Health. The reality is stark. One in four First Nations Peoples experience mental health challenges, the highest rate in the country. Investment here is critical, and it needs to be culturally informed, consistent and long-term.
• Entrepreneurship and Education. To reach parity with the broader Australian economy, we need another 50,000 First Nations entrepreneurs. That’s not just a number, it’s about unlocking ideas, backing people, and creating pathways for businesses that reflect culture, community and opportunity.
• Employment Opportunities. Real jobs, meaningful careers, and pathways that recognise the unique strengths, innovation and perspectives of First Nations Peoples.

Mandura creates an opportunity for customers to engage and contribute back into the Foundation in different ways. Mandura isn’t here to take work away from other Indigenous businesses. The goal is to grow the ecosystem and create more opportunities, more collaboration and more pathways for Indigenous suppliers to participate. When the system works together, everyone lifts together.

What I saw in Canada reinforced what’s possible when the foundations are in place. Strong partners, community-led initiatives, and strategic procurement opportunities that stays within the ecosystem. But it also confirmed that our path in Australia needs to be our own. We’re building something that connects procurement, business capability, and social impact in a way that is practical, scalable and grounded in purpose.

The opportunity in front of us is significant. When organisations shift from seeing Indigenous procurement as a compliance requirement to a genuine economic participation strategy, the impact compounds quickly.

At its core, this is about something simple. When you spend with Mandura, you’re not just buying. Organisations are backing community, building capability and contributing to a system designed to create long-term, systemic change. That’s how we build a stronger, self-sustaining First Nations economy.