BHP’s expansion of the Local Buying Program to the Carrapateena and Prominent Hill operations marks a significant step in supporting regional economies and strengthening relationships with small, local, and Indigenous businesses.

A standout success since the expansion is Australian Cultural Services (ACS) – an Indigenous-owned business that previously delivered cultural training at Prominent Hill before BHP’s acquisition. With support from the BHP Indigenous Engagement team, ACS joined the Local Buying Program, enabling a smoother onboarding process and reducing administrative workload through the platform’s streamlined, user-friendly interface.

Since joining the LBP, ACS has developed new training materials and successfully delivered the first of five Cultural Immersion Training sessions, reinforcing their important role in fostering cultural awareness across BHP operations.

The Local Buying Program offers a simplified and efficient procurement platform that removes unnecessary complexity, enabling local suppliers to work with BHP more easily and efficiently. This not only reduces barriers to entry but also drives real economic impact in regional areas.

Small, local, and Indigenous businesses receive dedicated, personalised support at every stage of the procurement process. This ensures they are not only equipped to meet BHP’s standards but also empowered to grow their capabilities and build lasting commercial relationships.

The program also helps BHP increase visibility and accessibility of Indigenous and Traditional Owner-owned businesses. By making these businesses easily identifiable to buyers, the Local Buying Program creates a clear and measurable pathway to grow BHP’s Indigenous procurement spend in line with its social value and inclusion goals.

Through this program, BHP is strengthening local economies, deepening community relationships and delivering long-term, sustainable value to the regions in which it operates.

“Becoming a supplier with the Local Buying Program has been a positive experience. The C-Res team has been incredibly supportive, providing regular guidance and assistance. Their services, particularly around registering and claims, have been outstanding in supporting us as an Indigenous business. Working with C-Res has strengthened our business by improving our understanding of compliance and documentation requirements for engaging with BHP.”
Robery Crilly, Owner/Director | Australian Cultural Services