PAR Values and Benefits

Why Progressive Aboriginal Relations™ ?

The PAR program encourages companies to evolve and participate in a growing Indigenous business economy across Canada. The fastest growing segment and Canada’s population comes within its Indigenous community, which is also becoming increasingly urbanized. These four performance areas; Leadership Actions, Employment, Business Development, and Community Relationships provide a foundation for the PAR program and represent the core components to successful positive business relations with the Indigenous community.

Benefits Overview

PAR was designed to benefit both organizations and communities.

The PAR framework evaluates companies on four PAR performance areas known as the PAR drivers, which are designed to ensure comprehensive business engagement with a community. The four PAR drivers are Leadership Actions, Employment, Business Development, and Community Relationships. PAR companies recognize the importance of Indigenous participation in the Canadian economy and have demonstrated their commitment to working across cultures.

Who is PAR for?

PAR is for organizations looking to build a long-term Indigenous relations strategy in a sustainable way, while partnering with Indigenous communities in Canada. We have a diverse group of organizations in PAR. The company sizes range from 2 to 200,000 employees. PAR small business criteria is modified to accommodate businesses with less than 50 employees.

Benefits to PAR Organizations

How does becoming PAR certified benefit my organization?

Canada is experiencing a new social and political environment as it pertains to Indigenous people. Indigenous issues are top of mind for the Canadian public, more than any other time in history. In light of this new social reality, more and more Canadian organizations are becoming interested in the opportunities of working with Indigenous people. The experiential growth of Indigenous entrepreneurialism reveals as sophisticated and ambitious businessperson that is looking to partner, collaborate and succeed. Couple this with the groundswell of international support for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability, and it is easy to see the future is bright for Indigenous business.

The CCAB is strategically positioned to have an impact on facilitating positive and sustainable relations between the business sector and the Indigenous business communities. As the only national organization committed to Indigenous business, The Canadian business reality is an environment that is favorable for CCAB in its pursuit of success. PAR is the premier certification program of its type in the world, assisting companies achieve greater results. PAR evaluates current programs and helps guide the development of new and effective programs. In short, PAR is both an opportunity to reflect on your own values as a company and demonstrate your commitment to working across cultures.

Competitive Advantage

PAR certification is a competitive advantage in establishing your reputation in CSR. PAR certified companies are leading corporate citizens that have proven the business case for sustainable Indigenous relations. PAR certification differentiates an organization from its competitors. PAR companies can raise their profile, and promote their Indigenous relations success with the use of the PAR logo through mediums such as:

• Company letterhead, envelopes, faxes and other stationary
• Company promotional materials, including recruitment, and marketing materials
• Company website and providing links to CCAB’s PAR webpage
• Annual, CSR and sustainable report
• Business cards
• Advertisement such as print, online, radio, or television
• Email signature
• Promotional items distributed at Indigenous tradeshows

Relationship Building

PAR companies with effective Indigenous relations, that practice continual improvement and have good community feedback processes in place, are in good position to receive greater certainty for their operations. PAR companies benefit in the following ways:

Leadership and employees of PAR companies develop an increased understanding of Indigenous culture, tradition and values.

PAR certified companies provide a public demonstration of their commitment to Progressive Aboriginal Relations. More specifically, the companies are:

• Good business partners
• Great places to work
• Committed to prosperity in Indigenous communities

Strategic Planning, Employment and Procurement Opportunities

PAR is a management tool that includes a strategic framework involving vision, principles, policy, strategies, goals, targets, and action plans.

• Targets and action plans are tracked, monitored and measured to assess levels of achievement
• PAR companies can have access to a local fast growing and comparatively young Indigenous labor market.
• PAR companies are externally verified through interviews with Indigenous stakeholders to obtain an outside perspective within the four PAR drivers:
  • Leadership Actions
  • Business Development
  • Employment
  • Community Relationships

Detailed feedback from the online submission review, company on-site and community stakeholder interviews by the PAR verifier.

A PAR jury of Indigenous business leaders conduct a review, assessment, and designate standing to each company of the appropriate certification at the bronze, silver, or gold levels.

Benefits to Indigenous Communities

How does partnering with a PAR certified company benefit your community? PAR makes it easier to identify which companies would make good business partners. If you see that a company is PAR certified, you can be confident knowing that they have undergone a lengthy reporting process and have been evaluated by a jury of Indigenous business professionals.

Economic and Business Development Opportunities

PAR companies are required to maintain or improve upon their key performance areas resulting in increased:

• Employment opportunities including recruitment, retention, advancement
• Education, training and skill development opportunities
• Business Development, contracting opportunities
• Preferential procurement initiatives
• Understanding of industry and corporate Canada
• Mentorship and capacity building to support the overall Indigenous business community
• Establishment of agreements, joint ventures and partnerships
• Investment in Indigenous business communities including scholarships, bursaries and apprenticeships

PAR Assurance

PAR companies are certified at the committed level, bronze, silver or gold levels. PAR companies undergo an independent external verification, and juried review of their performance in Indigenous relations which provides a high level of assurance to communities that a certified company is committed to the prosperity of Indigenous communities, businesses, and individuals.

PAR assurance is derived from the following:

• PAR has been certifying leadership in Indigenous relations for over a decade
• PAR verification provides an independent opinion of the level of performance of companies
• The Indigenous community (leaders, business owners, and labor force) look for the PAR logo to demonstrate leadership in improving economic wealth in Indigenous communities
• PAR is part of a management toolkit to support corporate Canada’s response to the increased significance of Indigenous business and communities to the economic prosperity of Canada
• PAR is the premier certification program of its type in the world

Summary

PAR is Canada’s premier program for Aboriginal Relations. The four performance areas of PAR help companies assess and improve their Indigenous relations policies and signal to communities that they are committed to prosperity in Indigenous communities. Join the growing number of companies who recognize the importance of Indigenous participation in Canada’s economy by becoming PAR certified.

For more information: par@ccab.com