Our social goal: building greater mutual trust and respect with Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
We asked some of our community partners why it’s important for Suncor to have a social goal. Here’s what they had to say.
Suncor’s first long-term social goal recognizes the value of relationships, and focuses on changing the way we think and act so we can strengthen relationships and increase the participation of Indigenous Peoples in energy development. There is much we can learn from Indigenous Peoples and communities. By listening and being willing to learn from one another, we can uncover mutual interests and build authentic relationships. We continue to assess how to advance the goal and will refresh components as we learn and grow in our understanding and awareness. The goal outlines four areas of focus through 2025 and beyond, where we can work together to advance greater participation of Indigenous Peoples and communities in energy development:
- Strengthening relationships between Indigenous Peoples and all Canadians, starting with Suncor. We can do more to learn about the history and experiences of Indigenous Peoples so we can better understand one another and change the way we think and act.
- Partnering with Indigenous youth to develop their leadership potential through meaningful connections within and outside of Suncor. Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders – that’s why we’re focused on building stronger connections with Indigenous youth.
- Significantly improving our Indigenous workforce development at Suncor through focused efforts on hiring, retention and advancement of Indigenous employees across our business.
- Increasing revenues to Indigenous businesses and communities through mutually beneficial marketing arrangements and procurement of materials and services.
We believe we can make a difference by looking at opportunities across our business, encouraging a mindset of creativity and innovation, and inspiring our own employees to take everyday actions.
The path forward
The social goal is a declaration of our intent to do things differently – to choose a new path that focuses on strengthening relationships with Indigenous Peoples and communities starting within Suncor. For us, that path is about working together and creating more opportunities for greater involvement in the energy industry, so the social and economic benefits from Canada’s resources are shared more fully.
This goal won’t be easy to achieve. It will require us to further foster a culture of humility, honesty and willingness to learn within our organization. It also isn’t a one size fits all approach. We know individuals and communities have different interests and capacities. We will start where we have relationships and where there is interest. We believe in a country where all peoples can achieve their potential and share prosperity. This is not the work of a small group in Suncor. This is the work of all of us.
Check out our Report on Sustainability for more about our progress, and how we're supporting and working with communities.