NationTalk: TORONTO — This June, during National Indigenous History Month, SAP is taking the opportunity to reflect on the importance of learning about the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of the First Nations, Inuit and Métis people that inhabited this land well before Canada was founded.
SAP Canada’s Indigenous Ally Network and the Reconciliation Steering Committee have been committed to helping our employees reflect upon Canada’s rich history and the informed future we must carve out to be in better relations with Indigenous Peoples and their communities here in Canada. When SAP Canada began the journey, we wanted to ensure our strategy was comprehensive, culturally informed and effective, all while taking action on TRCCTA#92 to create a corporate ethos that embraces Indigenous worldviews, culture and thought leadership.
We are proud of the progress our team is making and the recognitions we have received. Among our initiatives, we honour Indigenous Peoples Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation with educational programming and events including Indigenous guest speakers who can share their insights and perspectives directly with our team. We also honour the Day of Recognition for MMIWG2S, also referred to as Red Dress or ReDress Day. And this year we participated in the Moose Hide Campaign, distributing over 600 pins to raise awareness for abused Indigenous women and children.
“SAP Canada’s commitment to Indigenous reconciliation goes beyond educating our people,” said Zahi Maalouf, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, SAP Canada. “Our teams want to reach into our communities to make a real impact and continue paving the future of our awareness and reconciliation journey.”
Our Pro Bono for Economic Equity (PBEE) program is also continuing to support Indigenous-owned businesses in partnership with our Corporate Social Responsibility partner Pyxera Global. PBEE is part of SAP’s continued support of the social justice movement. SAP employee participants leverage their skills as pro bono consultants to help address systemic and business challenges. Ninety-five percent of entrepreneurs that have participated in this program have said they feel more prepared to address future challenges for their organization, including Nuez Acres.
Nuez Acres is an Indigenous-owned business that provides vegan pecan oil beauty products. Every pecan is sustainably farmed and is a natural water-free alternative, showcasing the business’ commitment to sustainability. Anthony Wingham, Founder & CEO, Nuez Acres said, “We’ve worked with companies in the past that were more about ‘checking a box’ in their efforts with Indigenous businesses. Working with SAP, they turned on a light switch, addressing some of the challenges we have been facing. We felt like the SAP team really cared and were invested in our success and made an immediate impact on our business, showing savings right away.”
SAP’s vision is to help the world run better and improve people’s lives. During National Indigenous History Month, SAP is bringing this vision to our work with Indigenous businesses and support the impact they make on our communities. If you are an Indigenous business owner and are interested in the program, please express your interest HERE.
For more information, visit the SAP News Center or follow SAP on Twitter at @SAPNews.
Natalie Sauvé, SAP Canada, Natalie.sauve@sap.com, 613-898-0988