B.C. First Nations launch new standards for organizational reconciliation
A new Indigenous-led framework could change how organizations demonstrate their commitment to reconciliation in B.C.
Businesses across Canada have voluntarily released Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs), however there has been no national standard for what those plans should be or how to measure their effectiveness.
The new document, Baseline Expectations and Good Practices for the Development and Assessment of the Reconciliation Action Plans (RAPs) of Companies in British Columbia, aims to establish a common standard with five focus areas: truth-telling, education, Indigenous rights and rightsholder engagement, economic reconciliation, and environmental stewardship.
Developed by the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, Responsible Resource and Indigenous Relations and West Coast Environmental Law, the document will help organizations better align their reconciliation efforts with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
Australia has been seen as a leader in RAPs, with a national, standardized RAP program run by an Indigenous-led non-profit, Reconciliation Australia.
Unlike Canada, where organizations can create their own reconciliation plans with no common framework, Australia’s program provides a formal structure, guidance, and accountability.
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