During National Indigenous History Month, we reflected on the importance of transformative change as a means to pass from awareness to action, and a pathway to centre Indigenous voices and perspectives in decision-making.
We are pleased to announce the release of a new report, All Hands on Deck: Opportunities for Investment Management Firms to Advance Reconciliation. With input from 48 Canadian investment managers and advisors, RRII developed a framework and a survey to identify how asset owners should expect their investment managers to advance reconciliation and Indigenous rights recognition and where they were falling short.
The research found tangible examples of investment management leadership related to reconciliation and Indigenous rights recognition:
- Almost half of the firms surveyed had established policies (e.g., scholarships and bursaries for Indigenous students) to increase prospective Indigenous employees’ pipeline and the supply of jobs available to Indigenous people in their firm.
- Around half of the surveyed firms reported having educational programs for management and staff on the history of Indigenous peoples.
- More than half of the surveyed firms indicated that they had incorporated considerations related to reconciliation and Indigenous rights recognition into investment analysis.
To varying degrees, investment management firms have taken steps to embed consideration of reconciliation and Indigenous rights in internal, client relations, and investment and stewardship policies and practices. The report proposes recommendations to help guide investment managers in their efforts to advance reconciliation.
