IKON Services Australia Partners with Kinaway!
Overview of the Partner’s business
IKON Services Australia is a national provider of integrated facility services with more than two decades of experience. We specialise in:
Commercial cleaning
Hygiene and washroom services
Waste management and resource recovery
Property services.
We employ ~1,300 people across Australia and support clients in sectors including education, healthcare, aviation, councils, stadiums and venues, markets, and corporate offices. Our signature strengths are customer focus, sustainability, safety, and innovation.
Engagement with the Indigenous sector & actions toward reconciliation
IKON’s reconciliation journey began with a Reflect RAP (2020) and advanced with our Innovate RAP (June 2025–June 2027), which sets measurable actions under Relationships, Respect, Opportunities and Governance. Highlights include:
Employment & workforce development
Supporting First Nations business to retain, develop and employ First Nations employees by supporting them through procurement.
Improving cultural safety across key worksites and embedding culturally safe HR practices.
Supplier diversity & procurement
Partnering with Kinaway Chamber of Commerce and engaging Supply Nation to broaden procurement with First Nations businesses.
Reviewing practices to remove barriers and actively creating commercial relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suppliers.
Cultural learning & respect
Implementing Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country protocols.
Encouraging company-wide participation in National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week, including co-hosted events with clients and partners.
Delivering structured cultural learning for leaders and RAP Working Group members.
Community collaboration
Facilitating a Yarning Time workshop that informed a commissioned artwork by Noongar Yamatji artist Kirby Bentley, capturing IKON’s reconciliation story.
Loorende-gat program facilitation – supporting leadership, connection to Country and pathways for Indigenous youth and businesses through program facilitation and partnerships.
Working in collaboration with clients and partners to increase impact together.
Why did the Partner sign up with Kinaway?
Partnering with Kinaway was a natural next step to ensure our commitments translate into tangible outcomes. Kinaway provides a respected network of certified First Nations businesses, practical guidance on culturally appropriate engagement, and a proven pathway to embed supplier diversity. Importantly, it unlocks excellent networking opportunities for our business—curated introductions, member events, and industry roundtables—that accelerate partnerships and joint bids. The partnership also provides ongoing education and development for businesses on both sides of the relationship through workshops, webinars, and capability building resources, helping us match our purchasing needs with First Nations capability while fostering authentic, long term relationships.
What is the Partner’s mission or aim in supporting the Indigenous economy? How will Kinaway member businesses benefit from this partnership?
Our mission is to walk alongside First Nations businesses and communities to support economic independence and cultural recognition for current and future generations. Through this partnership, Kinaway member businesses can expect:
Procurement access: Clear channels into IKON’s national procurement opportunities across cleaning, hygiene, waste/resource recovery, and property services.
Capability and collaboration: Co designed opportunities (e.g., joint bids, site enablement, service innovation) and invitations to participate in capability building sessions aligned to our RAP.
Sustainability projects: Collaboration on circular economy initiatives and resource recovery programs that leverage IKON’s environmental expertise while incorporating First Nations knowledge of caring for Country.
Employment pathways: Where appropriate, linkage into IKON recruitment programs and on the job development opportunities to help build lasting careers.
Program facilitation: Opportunities connected to Loorende-gat facilitation—e.g., leadership and youth pathways, business mentoring, and culturally grounded learning experiences.
How does the Partner hope to benefit from their partnership with Kinaway?
The Kinaway partnership strengthens IKON—by building a more diverse and resilient supply chain, deepening our cultural capability, co creating new service models, and measuring shared impact—so we deliver better outcomes for Kinaway members, our customers and the communities we serve.
Better supply chains: A more diverse, resilient, and innovative supplier base that improves quality and community impact.
Deeper cultural competency: Continuous learning through genuine relationships with First Nations partners and advisors.
Co innovation: New service models that combine First Nations knowledge with IKON’s operational expertise—especially in sustainability and circular economy.
Shared measurement of impact: Clearer ways to track social, cultural, and economic outcomes alongside commercial performance.