Our progress on the shared path for reconciliation

Deloitte Canada has passed the year-two marker along our corporate journey of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. The journey began in 2020 with the launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), the first of its kind in corporate Canada.

This second update reports our progress since June 2021 along the four pillars of reconciliation: education, inclusion, employment, and economic empowerment. Highlights include:

• Signing our first multi-year agreement with Indspire, for over $500,000, becoming the first professional services firm in Canada to be in this level of sponsorship at the organization, which invests in the education of Indigenous peoples.
• Initiating an important change to the firm’s bereavement policy to accommodate cultural practices: increasing paid leave from three days to 10.
• Launching an Indigenous Supplier Portal. To date, 48 Indigenous-owned organizations have been onboarded to our platform, with a steady flow continuing to join.
• Reaching more than 5,000 Indigenous youth through volunteering and pro bono engagements with organizations such as Canadian Roots Exchange, Innovations for Learning, and First Nations University of Canada.
• Making the 4 Seasons of Reconciliation training, a three-hour cultural-awareness e-learning program, a mandatory component of onboarding for all new Deloitte professionals. The course is also available to family, friends, and clients of Deloitte.

Read the report for more details on our second year. Meanwhile, our journey continues into a third year as we are committed to holding ourselves accountable to long term change

Shaping a shared path for reconciliation

June 2021 marks the end of the first year of our formal reconciliation journey, which began with the launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Shaping a shared path for reconciliation. This first annual report tracks our progress along the four pillars of reconciliation: education, inclusion, employment, and economic empowerment.

‘By keeping reconciliation with Indigenous peoples at the heart of all our decisions, we can help build an equitable organization—and an equitable Canada—for everyone.’ Anthony Viel, Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte Canada and Chile.

As you’ll see in this update, we’ve made progress under all four tenets. And while we have, in most cases, exceeded our goals, we know that reconciliation is a journey. We also know the road ahead will be long and, at times quite challenging, however we are determined to have a positive impact on the future of Canada.

The Deloitte Canada Reconciliation Action Plan

As a follow-up to our 2019 Indigenous impact report, Deloitte has developed and committed to a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). It answers the call to act made to the business community by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, one of the 94 calls to action the commission issued in 2015.

The first of its kind to be published in corporate Canada, this RAP is our pledge to follow a path to reconciliation by fostering meaningful and lasting relationships in working with Indigenous peoples, clients, and communities. It represents our commitment to Indigenous peoples and communities, which we will embed throughout our business. And while it is Deloitte’s plan, we believe it is a foundation upon which all Canadian citizens and business leaders can build harmonious and genuine partnerships based on mutual respect and cooperation.

For Canada to move forward, we must create a more equitable society, one that respects the history and truth of this land. This is but the starting point of our firm’s journey of reconciliation; we expect to adjust as we progress.

Making an impact that matters

At Deloitte, we’re driven by our Purpose to make an impact that matters to our clients, our people, and our communities. Deloitte has been committed to supporting Indigenous leaders, communities, and organizations for nearly 30 years. By investing our time and professional skills, we aim to break down barriers, such as access to education and employment, in order to build an inclusive and sustainable future for all.

Through projects spearheaded by our Deloitte colleagues from coast to coast over the past couple of years, we have been making an impact:

• Our practitioners have given more than 450 hours to volunteer and pro bono projects that have positively affected the lives of more than 4,000 Indigenous people.
• We have donated more than $500,000—raised through fundraisers, sponsorships, partnerships, and events—to support Indigenous organizations and communities.
• Eleven of our senior leaders have provided hundreds of volunteer hours as part of their non-profit board-of-directors role serving Indigenous organizations.

From our Indigenous and Allies Community to our involvement with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, and more, we continue to strive for reconciliation.