The Department of Housing and Works and Kardan Construction are the proud recipients of Supply Nation's Supplier Diversity Partnership of the Year award.
The Department of Housing and Works and Kardan Construction were honoured with the Supplier Diversity Partnership of the Year award at Supply Nation's 2026 Supplier Diversity Awards last week.
Housing and Works' winning partnership with Kardan has focused on advancing Aboriginal participation in the public sector while supporting the scale-up of Kardan's construction and property business.
Over the course of the partnership, Kardan's team has grown from three to 113 employees, maintaining an 18 per cent Indigenous workforce participation rate. Recent major hospital programs have mobilised 38 direct employees along with apprentices and trainees.
The award highlights a long-term, trust-based model guided by the theme, "Progressive trust creates lasting impact", which has evolved from small maintenance works to major infrastructure projects since 2019.
Together, Housing and Works and Kardan have delivered over 124 projects - and over 1,100 work orders - valued at more than $21 million. Key projects include Boorloo Bidee Mia, WA Public School Maintenance Blitz, Murray Street and Queens Riverside hotel repurposing, and live-hospital maintenance at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
The longstanding partnership has seen approximately $8 million directed to Aboriginal-owned subcontractors and suppliers. Notably, on Stage 1 of the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital project, 79 per cent of total project value was delivered by Aboriginal businesses.
The partnership is supported by a shared strategic vision, aligned with the WA Aboriginal Procurement Policy and Aboriginal Empowerment Strategy 2021-2029, to use public infrastructure as a vehicle for sustainable economic participation, training, and capacity-building.
For the full list of award winners, visit Supplier Diversity Awards 2026 - Connect 2026 .
