COAST SALISH TERRITORY, British Columbia, June 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) is pleased to release its Roadmap to Investing in Canada: Indigenous Inclusion in ESG report which feature unprecedented thought leadership from private sector, public sector, and Indigenous nations.
The report and associated Top 10 list summarize outcomes from the recent Indigenous Sustainable Investment Conference attended by over 1,500 participants. Experts from around the world participated in the conference to share their knowledge and learn about a more just and strategic application and interpretation of ESG principles.
“As we move away from what was previously business-as-usual in Indigenous lands, we are starting to challenge how globally-defined ESG standards need to consider the Canadian reality of Indigenous expectations and requirements on the long-term success of major project investments,” said Chief Sharleen Gale, Chair of FNMPC. “Emerging from the conference was a tremendous amount of thought leadership and a roadmap – a roadmap for investing in Canada.”
Both investors and Indigenous thought-leaders are observing a sea-change in the investment landscape when it comes to Indigenous-led equity investment. In tandem with the ESG movement, Indigenous nations and peoples in Canada and around the world are accessing and deploying an increasing amount of capital and equity investment in major infrastructure and other projects.
“There is a need for Indigenous investment capital. But there are many barriers to entry for Indigenous communities to participate as equity players in major projects,” says Mark Podlasly, Director of Economic Policy at the First Nations Major Projects Coalition. “We need to see capacity funding and Indigenous investment capital earlier on in the development of major projects, and we need to have Indigenous people involved in the front-end planning of projects to ensure that all interests are successfully addressed.”
“I encourage everyone to read our newly released Roadmap for Investing in Canada report,” says JP Gladu, Advisor, FNMPC & Principal, Mokwateh. “The very nature of the roadmap, and, in particular the unprecedented thought leadership from private sector, public sector, and Indigenous nations, is a testament of the degree to which Indigenous nations and Indigenous thought-leaders are, in real time, influencing both public and corporate policy.”
Media contact:
Niilo Edwards
Executive Director
Direct: (778) 875-0169
Email: executivedirector@fnmpc.ca