Salmat picks Indigenous telco, Message Stick as teleconferencing provider

Stuart Corner
Monday, 19 September 2011 12:45

IT Industry - Deals

Marketing communications company Salmat has named indigenous telco Message Stick as preferred teleconferencing provider as part of its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to bridge the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians.

The appointment of Message Stick is the first major initiative Salmat has undertaken since announcing its RAP last month. In a statement the company said: "Through [our] participation in the Australian Indigenous Minority Council (AIMSC), Salmat is committed to inviting indigenous business members to bid for work when their services are required. In keeping with this philosophy and following a competitive process, Message Stick was successful in securing the contract for all of Salmat's teleconferencing services."

Message Stick is majority owned by Aboriginal Australians. It was formed seven years ago to show that Aboriginal Australians can own and manage a services business that engages with large corporations and Government agencies. It provides a range of telephony, mobile, broadband and Internet services

CEO Grant Harrod, said: "Message Stick provides a leading and commercially competitive solution and we are very pleased to be partnering with this highly capable provider. I also want to recognise the work of the AIMSC who have been instrumental in establishing the relationship between Salmat and Message Stick."
 
Message Stick CEO, Michael McLeod, said: "Salmat has taken a very proactive stance in the area of engagement with Indigenous Australian businesses. We see this in the RAP and also in Salmat's active participation with the AIMSC."
 
Salmat says it is also developing an Indigenous procurement policy that will see more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses engaged as external providers. The company plans also to introduce an indigenous work experience program by August 2012.