Moving Beyond Inclusion
In BC, more than 120,000 people are working in tech but less than 1% identify as Indigenous. We’re working with industry and all levels of government to increase Indigenous representation and leadership in the technology and innovation sectors.
We’re challenging companies to put reconciliation into action
You’re not alone. According to our labour market study, many employers struggle with knowing how to respectfully hire Indigenous staff. This is where our corporate training initiative, Moving Beyond Inclusion: Partnerships and Reconciliation (MBI), can help.
This initiative is for companies that not only want to hire Indigenous talent but are willing to reflect deeply on the systemic changes that are needed within the organization. This creates equitable workspaces where different worldviews are valued to build a culture of diversity and innovation.
Why companies need to reconcile with our peoples
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada called upon the corporate sector to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework, and to ensure that Indigenous Peoples have equitable access to jobs, training, and educational opportunities.
As more Indigenous Peoples move into tech-based roles, the sector needs to adapt and create a future where Indigenous culture, values, wisdom, and ways of being shape technology.
MBI was created to help the tech sector respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s calls to action and to disrupt the existing colonial, euro-centric systems in place. Since MBI launched in 2021, we have worked with Microsoft Vancouver, Pagefreezer, SAP Canada, and Bench Accounting.
How this work is put into action
We work with a cohort of technology companies through a 12-18-month process to develop a strategic and coordinated approach to improving the attraction, retention, and experiences of Indigenous Peoples. The tangible actions companies take are examples of reconciliation. We also evaluate and document best practices for to multiply our impact in the sector. Each step of the process is tailor-made to the company:
Phase 1:
Project Grounding
A series of thought-provoking sessions to deepen understanding and ground the project in an approach that is based in systems change and reconciliation.
Phase 2:
Organizational Assessment
A comprehensive assessment through documents and interviews to understand what a company does, how it does it, and to identify unique strengths and challenges toward supporting Indigenous representation and reconciliation.
Phase 3:
Roadmap Development
A two-day workshop to unpack the assessment findings and co-create actions for the path forward of creating systemic and lasting change within companies.
Phase 4:
Implementation
Our team provides dedicated support to help companies prioritize and begin making progress on the actions within the Roadmap. This often looks like advisory support, additional learning opportunities, and development of recruitment strategies.
Phase 5:
Evaluation
We conduct multi-year research to assess the impact of our work together. This phase allows us to track progress and reflect on the key enablers of success, as well as constraints, to ensure long-term movement toward reconciliation.
Challenge Accepted?
Put reconciliation into action at your tech-based company and inquire today. Contact us to learn more about how we can work together to advance Indigenous participation and leadership in the technology and innovation sectors across Canada.
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Our Partners
Support of Indigenous facilitators, educators, researchers and knowledge keepers including Chastity Davis-Alphonse and Reciprocal Consulting.
