Enbridge releases Reconciliation Action Plan

(ANNews) – On September 20, Enbridge released its first Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan (IRAP). The plan was initiated in recognition that Indigenous people across North America have been systemically excluded from the social and economic landscape and to acknowledge this is an important next step in the company’s ongoing efforts toward Indigenous engagement, relationship building and inclusion.

“We believe that our business can play a critical role in advancing reconciliation, and that means acknowledging the truth and learning from the complicated and challenging history of Indigenous peoples,” stated Enbridge President and CEO Al Monaco. “We need to understand the past in order to move forward.”

One of the first of its kind in North America, the Enbridge IRAP was developed with input and insights from 50 individuals from Indigenous groups in the U.S. and Canada. It outlines 22 commitments that form the next stage of the company’s journey towards reconciliation, partnership and collaboration with Indigenous peoples as they work to build a better future together.

“Our first Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan, and its commitments, serve as a beacon of our company-wide focus to advance reconciliation,” added Monaco. “That said, reconciliation at Enbridge is more than what could be embodied in this plan. It requires a thoughtful approach, hard work, and respecting and acknowledging our history.”

The tangible actions are focused on six categories or ‘pillars’: Employment and Education; Community Engagement and Relationships; Economic Inclusion and Partnerships; Environmental Stewardship and Safety; Sustainability, Reporting and Energy Transition; and Governance and Leadership.

A few examples of these commitments include:

Formalizing existing financial partnership processes that help create more opportunities for Indigenous economic participation;

Establishing an Indigenous Advisory Group to provide advice and Indigenous insight to Executive Management at Enbridge; and,

Increasing Indigenous representation within Enbridge’s permanent workforce.

Enbridge’s inaugural Indigenous Reconciliation Plan continues our long-held commitment to advancing meaningful reconciliation and building strong relationships with Indigenous peoples across North America, continued Monaco. It builds on the performance-based environmental, social and governance goals Enbridge introduced in November 2020 and the Continuing our Path to Reconciliation update report earlier this year.

Most of all, the IRAP requires our full commitment to building a better future together,” concluded Monaco. “In my experience, this hard work is not only necessary but is always worth the effort.”