Building Long Term Relationships with Indigenous Businesses

In recent years, the economic dimension of reconciliation has become a priority for businesses in the Canadian private sector. The Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s 92nd Call to Action emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the private sector and Indigenous-owned businesses as a critical part of the reconciliation process.

However, despite this emphasis, there is a lack of clear, actionable guidance on how entrepreneurs can build meaningful, long-term relationships with Indigenous communities and businesses. This article aims to provide practical strategies for businesses preparing to engage with Indigenous entrepreneurs and communities, fostering partnerships that contribute to shared prosperity and lasting economic reconciliation.

Understanding the Foundation of Indigenous Partnerships

At the core of any successful business relationship is a commitment to openness, respect, and mutual trust. While these values are universal, they take on a unique significance when building partnerships with Indigenous businesses.

Reconciliation is not simply a process of financial exchange; it is about addressing historical injustices and supporting the economic empowerment of Indigenous communities. Unlike traditional business transactions, partnerships with Indigenous businesses require a deeper understanding of the cultural, historical, and social dynamics that shape these communities today.

Reconciliation is at the heart of these interactions, and businesses must recognize that their efforts contribute to the broader goal of healing and empowerment for Indigenous peoples.

Strategies for Building Strong Relationships

1. Invest Time and Build Trust

Building a strong relationship with an Indigenous business starts with a genuine commitment to learning about Indigenous traditions, history, and contemporary realities. This goes beyond acknowledging the impact of colonialism and includes understanding how historical injustices continue to affect Indigenous communities today.

Christopher Henry from IcMD, one of the ICC’s members, shared his experience during a recent Fireside Chat. He explained that building long-term relationships with Indigenous communities required over four years of deep, ongoing engagement. Henry’s journey involved learning Indigenous cultural practices and teachings, and his dedication helped him establish lasting partnerships with Indigenous communities across Canada.

This level of commitment reflects a genuine desire to learn from and work with Indigenous peoples, not just a transactional goal. By embedding cultural understanding into business practices, companies can build trust and demonstrate respect for Indigenous perspectives.

https://www.ualberta.ca/en/admissions-programs/online-courses/indigenous-canada/index.html

2. Align Values and Goals

Indigenous businesses often prioritize community well-being over mere financial gain. Their values may include sustainability, sovereignty, and long-term prosperity for future generations. Understanding these goals is crucial when partnering with Indigenous entrepreneurs.

For businesses, this means aligning strategies to ensure mutual benefit. Companies can do this by prioritizing local suppliers and choosing Indigenous businesses as partners whenever possible, which helps strengthen local economies.

Sustainability is another key area of alignment; businesses should ensure that their sustainability goals match those of their Indigenous partners, with a focus on environmental stewardship and community well-being. Engaging in projects that provide direct benefits to the local Indigenous community, such as job creation, infrastructure development, and educational opportunities, is another important way to align values.

These principles are not just about ethical alignment, they help foster long-term, mutually beneficial relationships. Indigenous businesses are looking for partnerships that go beyond short-term contracts and provide sustainable growth and capacity-building opportunities for their communities.

3. Remove Barriers to Participation

One significant barrier to Indigenous business participation in the economy is the complexity of procurement processes. Many Indigenous businesses struggle to access opportunities due to exclusionary or overly complex requirements.

For businesses seeking to engage with Indigenous partners, it’s important to assess and adjust procurement practices to ensure they are inclusive. Companies can simplify procurement processes to make them more accessible to Indigenous businesses, provide support and mentorship to help Indigenous entrepreneurs navigate these processes, and ensure that Indigenous businesses are considered for government and corporate contracts in a fair and transparent manner.

By removing these barriers, businesses can create opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs to thrive while also supporting broader reconciliation efforts.

Building long-term, meaningful relationships with Indigenous businesses requires commitment, cultural understanding, and mutual respect. By aligning business practices with Indigenous values, supporting capacity-building, and removing barriers to participation, companies can contribute to economic reconciliation and foster shared prosperity for all in the long-run.