The National Indigenous Business Chamber's Alliance (NIBCA) has welcomed Supply Nation's decision to introduce face-to-face verification interviews for Certified Indigenous businesses, describing it as a positive step toward restoring confidence in their national certification system.

Supply Nation wrote to its Certified Suppliers on Friday to advise from 2026, every Certified Supplier will be required to complete a 30-minute, face to face re-certification interview with an Indigenous Business Officer. The meetings will verify ownership, management and control, and collect business data such as revenue and geographic distribution.

The reform follows the Federal Government's move to tighten the definition of an Indigenous business through the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), which will standardise the "51 per cent owned and controlled" rule across procurement frameworks.

The new measures come after growing concern within the Indigenous business sector about the integrity of certification processes and the risk of "black-cladding," where non-Indigenous entities claim Aboriginal ownership to secure contracts.

Several Indigenous business groups have recently called for stronger oversight and clearer accountability from Supply Nation and other verifying bodies.

Supply Nation Head of Supplier Services, Dylan Booth, said the new process would strengthen confidence and transparency.

"Following the Federal Government's announcement to change the definition of an Indigenous business, Supply Nation has reviewed and considered existing practices and definitions," he said.

"While we wait for further details from the NIAA on how they plan to roll out the 51 per cent owned and controlled standard, we are taking an initial focus on our Certified Suppliers and how we can further elevate this cohort as the premium standard of certification nationally."

Mr Booth wrote Supply Nation's certification system had been independently audited as "world-leading," but acknowledged that more direct engagement with suppliers would improve data accuracy and stakeholder trust.

"This will allow our staff to engage proactively and better understand Certified Suppliers, as well as capture key business data such as revenue and geographic distribution, to improve your Indigenous Business Direct profile," he said.

"Having accurate records will increase the opportunities that come your way through business matching."

Under the new system, Certified Suppliers will receive an automated email six weeks before their annual audit requesting them to book a re-certification interview. The rollout will occur progressively throughout the year to accommodate thousands of businesses.

Mr Booth said if companies could not or did not complete the interview within a reasonable timeframe, they may be reclassified as Registered Suppliers until the process was finalised.

"It is important for all stakeholders to continue to have complete confidence in Supply Nation's processes and certification to maximise your business success," he said.

The announcement has been welcomed by the National Indigenous Business Chambers Alliance, which represents Indigenous Chambers and business networks across Australia.

NIBCA chair, Naomi Anstess, said the move signalled a genuine effort by Supply Nation to address long-standing sector concerns and build greater confidence in certification.

"It's encouraging to see Supply Nation strengthening its certification standards and committing to more direct engagement with Indigenous businesses. Integrity in verification is fundamental to the credibility of the sector," Ms Anstess said.

"Indigenous Chambers and business networks have been doing this kind of integrity and community-based verification work for years, often without major funding or corporate memberships - because authenticity matters."

Ms Anstess said Supply Nation's increased focus on quality assurance was a welcome step given its prominent national role.

"Supply Nation receives around $2.6 million annually from the Commonwealth and more than $6 million through corporate memberships, so this level of quality assurance should have always been the baseline expectation," she said.

While supporting the new measures, Anstess said the scope of the reform should eventually extend beyond Certified Suppliers.

"The real question now is scope. Face-to-face checks for Certified Suppliers are positive, but they represent only about one-third of Supply Nation's database. The remaining two-thirds - those listed as Registered Suppliers - must also be part of any serious integrity reform if we want a genuinely trusted system."

Ms Anstess said Indigenous Chambers were well positioned to complement Supply Nation's work through community-based verification and governance support.

"This is exactly why the Blak Chambers are best placed to lead this work," she said. "We already engage directly with businesses on the ground, verify identity, support governance, and uphold cultural and commercial integrity, every day. With equivalent federal investment, the outcomes would be magnified, accelerated, and genuinely community-led."

"The opportunity now is for alignment and Indigenous control - to bring together the reach of national systems with the depth and authenticity of Indigenous-led networks. That's how we build trust, opportunity, and true economic sovereignty."

Ms Booth said the re-certification program would begin in early 2026, with interviews rolled out in stages. Businesses will be contacted via the supplier portal to schedule interviews and can access re-certification FAQs online or contact Supply Nation's customer care team.

"Our processes have been independently audited as world-leading, but that doesn't mean we can't do more," Mr Booth said.

"It's about ensuring that everyone - suppliers, buyers, and the public - can continue to have confidence in the integrity of the system."