Skip to main content

Supplier diversity creating opportunities for Māori and Pasifika Supplier diversity creating opportunities for Māori and Pasifika

Date: 15 January 2026

Auckland Transport (AT) is committed to creating opportunities for Māori and Pasifika businesses while delivering measurable social value, and a recent Social Return on Investment report demonstrates the power of this approach.

The report, commissioned by AT and delivered by Māori-owned consultancy Te Ara Hiranga, analysed the Te Kia Ora Marae carpark project - part of AT’s Marae Entry/Exit Safety Programme. The project was delivered by Lite Civil under a closed procurement approach prioritising Māori-owned businesses.

The findings are clear - for every $1 invested, the project generated $3.53 in social, cultural, economic and environmental value as a result of engaging a Māori-owned contractor, over and above the benefit of the carpark itself.

This impact included:

  • Employment for Māori workers, including mana whenua
  • Formal qualifications and mentoring for rangatahi
  • Engagement of Māori subcontractors, strengthening local supplier networks
  • Overall growth of the Māori business ecosystem
  • A culturally aligned approach that respected tikanga Māori and reinforced kaupapa Māori values

Debra Brewer, Chair of Te Kia Ora Marae, says the benefits went far beyond infrastructure “Partnering with a Māori-owned business delivered outcomes deeply embedded in tikanga Māori and whānau wellbeing. Lite Civil approached the work with cultural respect, creating a safe and welcoming environment for our community.”

Lite Civil is a participant in the Kake Mai Supplier Diversity Programme, a partnership between AT and local industry that was launched in August 2025 to support Māori and Pasifika-owned civil construction businesses. 

The programme aims to develop market capability, strengthen relationships between AT, iwi partners, Māori and Pasifika businesses and other AT suppliers, and support job creation, upskilling and economic growth in Māori and Pasifika communities.  

Kake Mai will create subcontracting opportunities for AT’s Tier 1 head contractor partners, meaning both AT and head contractors can directly engage with participating Māori and Pasifika businesses. Head contractors for new AT capital projects are contractually required to partner with Kake Mai suppliers, ensuring real and meaningful opportunities.

AT’s Manager Sustainable Procurement & Supply Chain Partnerships, Rachael Randal, says AT strives to deliver and maximise value for the people of Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland.

“We work to ensure that our supply chains are increasingly diversified and reflect the communities and people we serve. We want to create positive impact through our procurements.

“Kake Mai is about opening doors for Māori and Pasifika owned businesses previously inaccessible due to their competitive disadvantage against larger tier 1 firms:, says Randal. “Many of these businesses sometimes struggle to compete on price and track record but they have strong operational delivery capabilities. They also tend to use Māori and Pasifika owned subcontractors and are more likely to employ Māori and Pasifika workers, which further amplifies the social and economic benefits for the local community.”

Director at Lite Civil Jay Rawiri explains, “We’ve always had the capability... but getting around the right tables was the hard part.”

The company has since built strong tendering and compliance capabilities, allowing them to compete for council panels and other public sector contracts.

“Now we’re able to put competitive bids through” says Rawiri. “We are on a couple of panels for a council because of it.”

Kake Mai is part of our Statement of Intent (SOI) target and aligns with local government’s Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments. As both AT and our head contractors can procure directly from the programme participants, Kake Mai will play a key role in helping us meet our goals around supplier diversity and inclusive procurement while also supporting head contractors to meet their own supplier diversity targets.

The six suppliers who have met prequalification criteria and appointed as participants are:

  • Lite Civil Ltd. (Takanini; Owner Iwi: Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Paoa) 

 

Kake Mai participants were evaluated through a rigorous process, including demonstrating competitive pricing capability and a commitment to growth, with business aspirations to compete at head contractor level. 

The programme includes mentorship from AT’s project delivery teams and Tier 1 contractor partners and 6-monthly review meetings with the AT Kake Mai programme manager - providing an opportunity to gain insights into the barriers faced by smaller, local suppliers and support to overcome these.