Bruce Power honours Truth & Reconciliation through Indigenous Champions Program

To commemorate the National Day for Truth & Reconciliation, Bruce Power has rolled out its Indigenous Champions Program to its managers, naming its top executives as the first participants in the program.

The Indigenous Champions Program will be implemented today among all employees, with a specific focus on all leaders, with resources to promote cultural awareness and advocate for increased opportunities for Indigenous candidates and businesses. This program compliments the company’s Indigenous Relations Supplier Network (IRSN) that focuses on economic development and job creation within the nuclear supply chain.

“The National Day for Truth & Reconciliation is a day to reflect on the profound injustices Indigenous communities have endured and to take meaningful steps to advance reconciliation,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power’s President & CEO. “Our Life-Extension Program has brought tremendous economic opportunity to the region, and our programs aim to support the involvement of Indigenous peoples in those benefits, while also increasing cultural awareness among our employees.”

Rencheck, along with Bruce Power’s Executive Team members, were recognized as the company’s first Indigenous Champions for their participation in the pillars that support the Truth & Reconciliation Call to Action 92 and the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) Program.

These leaders include:

Cathy Sprague, Executive Vice President (EVP), Human Resources
Chris Mudrick, EVP and Chief Nuclear Officer
Eric Chassard, EVP, Projects and Engineering
James Scongack, Chief Development Officer and EVP, Operational Services
Kevin Kelly, EVP, Finance and Chief Financial Officer

“These leaders are Champions because of the behaviours they exhibit every day,” said David Abbott, Bruce Power’s Director of Indigenous Relations and Business Partnerships. “They have been instrumental in supporting wealth creation opportunities within local Indigenous communities through business partnerships and unique hiring, training and development programs for Indigenous candidates.

“The spirit of the program is to increase cultural knowledge and engagement at an individual level,” Abbott added. “Every employee can participate though actions like incorporating Land Acknowledgement into meetings, attending Sharing Circles and cultural events, and wearing an orange shirt.”

With the implementation of the program, employees can take a self-assessment to be considered for the Indigenous Champions Program. The self-assessment includes criteria such as completion of cultural awareness training; supporting the hiring and career development of Indigenous candidates; inclusion of Indigenous-owned businesses in the proposal process; and attending cultural events. The program will provide resources and support for managers and their teams with a particular focus on cultural awareness and employee support, while program outcomes will be delivered through an annual report, which will be released during Indigenous History Month in June.

In 2020, Bruce Power was recognized for the third time with Gold certification for the PAR Program from the CCAB, which is the pre-eminent standard for businesses in Indigenous Relations. The company is one of only 19 in Canada to have received the designation.

PAR is a comprehensive initiative offered by CCAB that supports improvement and best practices in Indigenous relations. A Gold-certified company means the PAR criteria is ingrained at all levels of the business, driven through policy, strategy, mature processes and innovative enhancements over a number of years. A Gold organization has a high level of appreciation of the significance of positive Indigenous relations. They are a role model for Indigenous relations with a continuous-improvement philosophy, with positive results and good support from Indigenous communities.

About Bruce Power:  Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on FacebookTwitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.