When Sullivan Halaifonua arrived at our Corban Reserve project in Tāmaki Makaurau [Auckland] New Zealand he had no idea about Amotai and the benefits you can reap by becoming a member.

Sullivan Halaifonua (shown on right) is the Co-Director of Vava’u Contracting, a Pasifika-owned earthmoving business, with his wife Sita. Most of their work is repeat business or via word-of-mouth recommendations and they learned about the opportunity at Corban Reserve through Sullivan’s younger brother Josiah Halaifonua, the Grade A Tunnel Supervisor on the project (shown on left).

When Sullivan and his team arrived at Corban Reserve, our Quantity Surveyor Kathrine Juab could see the potential for growth with the right help.

Kathrine introduced the husband-and-wife team to Amotai, an organisation that provides Māori and Pasifika businesses with connections to buyers committed to social procurement. As a member, Vava’u Contracting now has access to an extensive client directory, specialist resources to help gain new business, and networking opportunities online and in person.

As a founding member of Amotai, McConnell Dowell recognises the added social value of supplier diversity and the long-term benefits of social procurement to the project, community, and industry.

“‘Providing a better life’ has been at the heart of our operations, and we’re proud to be supporting businesses like Vava’u Contracting. By the end of the project, we are forecast to meet our broader social outcomes spend goal of $1,000,000,” says Kathrine.

Meet the Corbans team in the video below or find out more about the project scope here.