December 9, 2024 – Robinson-Superior Treaty, Fort William First Nation Territory, Thunder Bay, Ontario: he Anishnawbe Business Professional Association (ABPA) has issued a formal response to the Canadian Sustainability Standards Board’s (CSSB) “Indigenous Matters: What We Heard” report, urging for more robust measures to ensure Indigenous perspectives and rights are fully integrated into sustainability standards.
In a letter addressed to Lisa French, Vice-President of Sustainability Standards at the CSSB, ABPA commended the CSSB’s commitment to meaningful Indigenous participation, education, cultural awareness, and deeper consultation. However, the ABPA emphasized the need for further action in several critical areas:
- Operationalizing Indigenous Participation: The ABPA calls for concrete mechanisms to enable Indigenous Peoples to actively shape sustainability standards, including stronger engagement plans with Indigenous organizations.
- Ensuring Cultural Dexterity: Beyond Indigenous representation on the CSSB board, the ABPA advocates for mechanisms that recognize and respect cultural differences, suggesting the involvement of the Public Sector Accounting Board’s Indigenous advisory body and the recruitment of an Indigenous chairperson.
- Addressing “Redwashing”: The ABPA urges the development of clear guidelines to ensure genuine corporate commitment to reconciliation, including Indigenous-led guidance on the use of Indigenous knowledge and metrics to assess socio-economic impacts.
- Implementation and Accountability: A clear implementation plan with timelines and deliverables is essential for addressing the recommendations in the “What We Heard” report.
- Public Interest Obligations: The CSSB must evolve its approach to evaluating public interest to reflect the growing understanding of Indigenous rights and reconciliation.
- Reconciliation Action Plans: The ABPA highlights the need for reconciliation action plans that go beyond corporate social responsibility, enabling policy change and addressing the unique needs of Indigenous communities.
The ABPA also recommends the establishment of an Indigenous-led verification process to independently assess and verify corporate claims regarding social impacts and economic benefits related to Indigenous peoples. This process aims to enhance transparency, foster trust, and ensure that sustainability standards genuinely contribute to reconciliation and the well-being of Indigenous communities.
Jason Rasevych, representing the ABPA, stated, “We believe that by working together, we can create standards that contribute to a more sustainable and equitable future for all Canadians.”
