Due to the lockdowns caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, various indigenous businesses had to assess their options and either close down, pivot or pause operations. After conducting a business continuity review, Tagai Management Consultants decided to use its procurement and business advisory capabilities to support the supplier diversity sector, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses in remote and regional areas of Australia. Its aim was to motivate, support and enable indigenous businesses to continue through Covid-19 and recover and continue to grow their businesses in its wake. 

As part of the measures, Charles Darwin University – Northern Institute – funded by the Northern Territory Government – partnered with Tagai Management Consultants in the development and delivery of the In the Black Indigenous Business Resilience Program; an innovative and digital business-to-business service for Northern Territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

In the Black was designed as a culturally contextualised entrepreneurial and business-to-business support program to build on the resilience and sustainability of established Northern Territory Indigenous businesses. The program itself was designed specifically to evolve and improve based on the volatile market forces caused by Covid-19. It therefore possesses great potential to change and evolve in the future.