In discussions about Indigenous employment, the conversation often splits into two camps: those who frame it as a moral imperative, and those who defend it as a business case. Hayden Charles, a proud Wiradjuri leader, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Indigenous Commercial Corporation, rejects the premise entirely.
“For me, they’re completely inseparable,” Charles states when asked whether ICC’s deliberate focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment is a business decision or community decision.
This refusal to separate community impact from business sustainability runs through everything Charles has built—from ICC’s growth to over 500 employees in cleaning, maintenance and construction, to his long-standing mental health advocacy through Headspace, to his mentoring work with young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
For the NFP and social sector, Charles’s approach offers a powerful reframe: what if the most sustainable business models are those that integrate community responsibility from the foundation, rather than treating it as separate corporate social responsibility activity?
Q&A with Hayden
You went back to Clontarf Academy a decade after graduating, this time as a mentor. What did you want those young people to see in you that you didn’t have modelled for you at their age?
Going back to Clontarf Academy as a mentor was pretty personal for me. At that age, I didn’t really have someone who looked like me and could show that there were real pathways beyond school — especially into leadership and business.
What I wanted those young fellas to see wasn’t perfection, but possibility. Someone who had faced setbacks, made mistakes, but kept showing up and pushing forward. I wanted them to see that you don’t have to choose between culture and career — you can carry both with pride. More than anything, I wanted to be someone they could relate to. Not someone on a pedestal, but someone who understands where they come from and can help guide where they’re going.
ICC employs over 500 people with a deliberate focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment. For you, is that a business decision or a community decision, or are those two things inseparable?
For me, they’re completely inseparable.
At ICC, employing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is absolutely a community responsibility — creating opportunities, building confidence, and contributing to generational change. But it’s also a smart business decision. A diverse workforce brings stronger perspectives, better engagement, and a deeper connection to the communities we operate in.
When you invest in people properly, you get loyalty, pride, and performance. That translates directly into better outcomes for clients and the business. So it’s not one or the other — it’s a model where doing the right thing by community actually strengthens the business.
Your Headspace advocacy isn’t the most obvious cause for someone in construction and maintenance to champion. What drew you to that work, and what do business leaders in traditionally ‘tough’ industries get wrong about mental health?
My connection to Headspace isn’t something that came later in my career — it’s been a long-standing part of my life. I was involved with Headspace Miranda from age 16 through the Youth Reference Group, and over the years I’ve continued to support the organisation through the Family and Friends Reference Group.
What I saw early on — and still see now — is how many young people, particularly young men, struggle in silence. In industries like construction and maintenance, those challenges are often amplified. There’s still a strong “tough it out” culture, where vulnerability is seen as weakness. What many business leaders get wrong is thinking mental health is separate from the job. In reality, it’s directly connected to safety, productivity, retention, and culture. Strong leadership in tough industries means redefining what strength looks like — creating environments where people feel safe to speak, where checking in is normal, and where support is built into the culture every day. Because at the end of the day, if your people aren’t okay, your business won’t be either.
Read also: Working behind the scenes to enable frontline impact
You’ve sat in rooms with former prime ministers and visiting royals. What Indigenous issues were discussed, do you feel the needle is moving, and what still frustrates you?
In those rooms, conversations often centre around Closing the Gap outcomes — education, employment, health, and economic participation. There’s definitely more awareness than there was five or ten years ago. The needle is moving, but not fast enough. What frustrates me is that a lot of the solutions are already known — we’ve seen what works at a community level — but scaling those solutions and backing Indigenous-led initiatives still takes too long. There’s also still a gap between discussion and action. Real progress will come when decision-making power sits more consistently with Indigenous communities themselves — not just being consulted, but leading.
What would you say to an Indigenous young person who can see your success but can’t yet see the path to it?
I’d tell them that the path doesn’t always show itself all at once — and that’s okay.
You don’t need to have everything figured out early. Focus on the next step in front of you. There will be setbacks. I’ve had plenty. But those moments don’t define you — how you respond to them does. Stay connected to your culture, surround yourself with people who support you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Back yourself — even when no one else can see your vision yet. Because where you start doesn’t limit where you can go.
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