The purpose of this guide is to provide practical guidance for business to understand, respect, support the rights of Indigenous Australians, and embed those rights into business practices. It draws upon the 2013 United Nations (UN) Global Compact International Business Reference Guide and is tailored specifically for businesses operating in Australia and embedding a rights-based approach as it relates to Indigenous Australians.

This guide is not intended to provide a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Just as the size, scale, context and purpose of businesses in Australia are diverse, Indigenous Australians’ cultures, histories and aspirations are not homogenous. Any engagement with Indigenous Australians should be place-based and built on genuine engagement to develop trusted and meaningful relationships that understand cultural safety and Indigenous cultural values.

In this context, the guide encourages business to engage in meaningful consultation and partnership with Indigenous Australians on a local level and to adapt the principles and practices suggested in this guide to their distinct situations and contexts.