PAIR is an online management and reporting program that supports progressive improvement in Indigenous relations, and a certification program that confirms corporate performance in Indigenous relations at the Bronze, Silver or Gold-level.
Since being introduced in 2001, PAIR, formerly known as the Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program, remains the premier corporate social responsibility program with an emphasis on Indigenous relations.
PAIR certification gives organizations a competitive edge, building their reputation in Corporate Social Responsibility while fostering economic opportunities. Certified companies gain greater understanding of Indigenous culture and values, and promoting their PAIR level signals to communities that they have committed to being:
ACCESS GREATER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES
When a company is PAIR-certified, you can have confidence that their corporate performance in Indigenous relations has undergone a lengthy reporting process and has been evaluated by independent external verifiers and a jury of Indigenous business professionals.
Certified companies are leading corporate citizens that are committed to the prosperity of Indigenous communities, businesses, and individuals. Verification also includes interviews with Indigenous stakeholders, ensuring that the voices of the Indigenous communities are considered during certification.
Establish a reputation in corporate social responsibility
Participation in PAIR ensures that Indigenous relations are addressed as part of a company’s overall corporate social responsibility strategy. Indigenous leaders and communities look for the PAIR logo when considering partnerships as it demonstrates a commitment to Indigenous prosperity.
Companies that practice continuous improvement and have strong community feedback processes are well-positioned to raise their profile by promoting their success in Indigenous relations with the PAIR logo, opening the door to procurement initiatives, partnerships, and business development opportunities.
It is often said that “what gets measured, gets done”. While companies seeking PAIR certification have accountability and report on quantifiable measures, the program and verification process acknowledge that strong relationships are key to sustainability and continuous improvement in Indigenous relations.
PAIR certification recognizes the value of relationships and the diversity of opportunities and challenges that face companies that are committed to the Indigenous community. PAIR verifies corporate initiatives and outcomes in four key performance areas:
Leadership Actions are defined as actions taken by the organization’s leaders to reinforce its focus on Indigenous relations. These actions include setting and cascading a clear commitment and policy, identifying and communicating with the Communities of Interest, scheduling self-assessment exercises against PAIR Criteria to review status, and applying a structure to drive and sustain the commitment to positive Indigenous relations across the organization.
Employment is defined as the commitment of time and money to achieving equitable representation of Indigenous people in the workplace. This involves recruiting and retaining Indigenous talent, supporting their career development and advancement, and promoting the mobility of Indigenous employees throughout employment sectors and levels. This Driver also includes supporting cross-cultural awareness and/or cultural sensitivity training and providing training and support for existing or prospective Indigenous employees through specific programs or actions.
Business development is defined as the commitment of time and money to the development of business relationships with Indigenous-owned businesses. These activities are sustained through mutual benefit. Capacity building and mentorship also directly relate to sustaining, enhancing or developing future business development.
The Community Relationships Driver is broken out into two components: engagement and support. Engagement is defined as providing time and resources to develop and sustain positive and progressive relationships with Indigenous communities, groups and stakeholders. Engagement can include communications, information sharing, involvement in events and activities, and partnerships. Support is defined as a commitment to develop positive and progressive relationships with Indigenous communities, groups and stakeholders by providing financial and/or in-kind support. These components work together to nurture and sustain positive and progressive relationships.
The committed level is a framework building process for and organization starting out in PAIR. The committed level criteria is a three–phased approach over a three-year timeline. The flexible program helps the organization incrementally build their strategy in a way that works well for their organization and in collaboration with the Indigenous communities of interest that they are working with.
Phase 1 – Organization gets started and organized
Phase 2 – Focus on strategy and getting everyone involved
Phase 3 – Building good relations, target setting & progress review
There are two levels of PAIR participation available for CCIB members who want to improve or confirm performance in Indigenous relations: Committed and Certified.
CCIB Membership
Application fee
High Level Feedback from independent verifier
*Based on company size.
Submit one year of reports.
1 year reporting period: must recertify every year for a maximum of 3 years then move to certified level.
Deadline: ongoing.
Company can use Committed Logo upon signing participation agreement.
CCIB Membership
Application fee
Verification by independent verifier
*Based on company size.
Submit three years of reports.
3 year reporting period; must recertify every three years.
Must undergo verification by independent verifier.
Jury Evaluation at Bronze, Silver, Gold.
Deadline: April 1st every year.
Company can use designated Bronze, Silver or Gold Logo after the Jury Evaluation.
See a comprehensive list of the growing number of organizations currently in the process of certification within the PAIR program, separated by the level that they have most recently achieved.
Organized by the four performance areas in the PAIR reporting framework – employment, business development, community investment and community relations – this document summarizes some of the initiatives that PAIR companies are undertaking.
Cultural awareness training is a PAIR program requirement for Committed-level companies, which allows companies to integrate a reset in their organizational thinking and approach to working with Indigenous communities.
The PAIR program has provided a roster of facilitators who can provide PAIR training to support the required framework-building process and lead organizations to certification.
Check out our yearly schedule of events and click on the calendar icons in the link below to register for a monthly PAIR webinar.
View our latest webinars to learn more about the PAIR program and how it can help your organization.
