Indigenous Peoples
At Shell Canada we believe Indigenous communities are important partners; our projects must be designed and implemented to minimize impacts, provide shared value and enhance relationships with Indigenous Peoples. Building and maintaining trusting relationships, investing in human capacity, and sharing economic benefits, provides opportunity to maintain social license to operate, reduce project risks, and builds a diverse and inclusive workforce.
Shell acknowledges the rights of Indigenous Peoples and recognizes that additional resources, strategies and actions are required to engage with impacted communities to understand their concerns and issues, to develop and implement mitigation and enhancement measures, as well as develop relationships for the life of our operations.
Shell’s Commitment to Indigenous Peoples in Canada
Shell Canada will build meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples and communities based on honesty, integrity, and respect. Shell will positively contribute to reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and communities in Canada by recognizing Aboriginal and treaty rights, the diversity of Indigenous cultures across the country, and by jointly seeking opportunities to work together for mutual benefit.
Shell Canada acknowledges that:
- Indigenous Peoples in Canada have constitutionally recognized and protected Aboriginal and treaty rights
- Indigenous Peoples and communities in Canada have a unique connection to the land and water and a strong desire to retain their culture and traditions
- Investing in human capacity is needed to ensure Indigenous Peoples participation as qualified, contributing members to Shell Canada’s success
- Shell must be responsive to feedback from Indigenous communities where our activities impact the ability to exercise constitutionally-protected Aboriginal and treaty rights, their way of life, their traditions, and cultures
- Indigenous communities must have the opportunity to benefit from Shell Canada’s industrial development, including employment and investing in human capacity-building opportunities
In all of our business activities in Canada, Shell will:
- Establish and maintain respectful and meaningful relationships with Indigenous Peoples and communities
- Respect and value the unique cultures and traditions of the Indigenous Peoples in Canada
- Strive to increase understanding of Indigenous cultures and traditions by delivering awareness programs to Shell personnel and participating in Indigenous celebrations
- Work in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples and communities in Canada to provide sustainable employment, business and educational opportunities from exploration, through operations and into closure
- Continue and seek ways to improve Shell Canada Human Resources (HR) strategies and resources specific to the attraction and hiring, retention and inclusion of Indigenous people within the Shell workforce
- Seek to understand Indigenous perspectives through engagement and dialogue with impacted Indigenous communities, and take measures to mitigate the impact of Shell’s activities on those communities
We will demonstrate this commitment through our business activities and implementation of the Shell Canada Indigenous Peoples Strategy.
SUSANNAH PIERCE,
Shell Canada President and Country Chair
Aamjiwnaang Land Gift Ceremony
Title: Shell Canada - Sarnia Land Presentation
Duration: 1:38 minute
[Music]
Soft synth music playing in background
[Fade from black with black text]
SHELL AND THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY OF AAMJIWNAANG FIRST NATION CELEBRATE THE GIFT OF LAND
[Video Footage]
Tribal drums being hit
[Sound effect]
Tribal drums being hit
[Chief Plain]
“Aamjiwnaang and indigenous communities in general have a history of loyalty and building relationships and partnerships and Shell has been a great community partner for us to work with. And it's important that we bring them back to acknowledge that because it's life changing for us and we want to make sure that we know how it's making a difference and they can see our community grow.”
[Video Footage]
Wide open field with a teepee
[Video Footage]
Logo of Shell on a woman’s umbrella.
[Video Footage]
People standing in the rain with Shell brand umbrella
[Video Footage]
Two older men standing with a small girl with a sash that reads “little miss aamjiwnaang”
[Video Footage]
People shoveling dirt around tree
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain, little miss aamjiwnaang, and a woman pose for pictures with shovels
[Video Footage]
Tribal drum being hit by multiple sticks
[Video Footage Fades to black]
Bond fire inside teepee
[Music Ends]
[Cheerful, uplifting music plays]
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain, Guy, and Michael posing for pictures outside next to the teepee.
[Guy Hackwell]
“It's actually an honor and a privilege to be part of leadership of Shell that has managed great work in terms of being able to gift land back to an Aamjiwnaang First Nation. And the community that we work in is part of that. It's really, actually it's a privilege and honor.”
[Video Footage]
Little miss Aamjiwnaang is inside the teepee throwing something into the bond fire
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain making a speech outside under a tent
[Video Footage]
Guy and Michael listening to Chief Plain’s speech
[Video Footage]
Three women singing along with the community under the tent outside
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain and Little miss Aamjiwnaang holding a shovel and posing for pictures
[Video Footage]
Michael nodding along in approval
[Michael Crothers]
“It's really centered around the opportunity to expand their community. There is a need for land, for more housing. They'd like to bring people back to the to the nation. People have been away. It's a sense of coming home, of belonging and be able to be part of the community here where they're from.”
[Video Footage]
Two men in construction hi vis vests carry a long pole with the Aamjiwnaang flag on the top
[Video Footage]
The flag is unfurled by one of the construction men
[Video Footage]
The pole is being lifted up into the air
[Video Footage]
The pole is being buried into the ground by members of the community
[Sound effect]
People cheering
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain, Little miss Aamjiwnaang, and a construction man pose as they hold up the pole with the flag
[Video Footage]
Aamjiwnaang First Nation flag flying in the wind
[Chief Plain]
“Shell has made very strong efforts towards reconciliation and building a relationship with this
community, and this community needs to recognize that as well”
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain and Guy Hackwell signing the contract and the deed to the land
[Video Footage]
Guy and Chief Plain shake hands
[Video Footage]
Rack focus on Aamjiwnaang feathers and blanket
[Chief Plain]
These are relationship building with people that have been part of our community, have been in this building, understood our community and taken the time to learn.
[Video Footage]
Chief Plain smiling and talking with Guy
[Video Footage]
Guy smiling and talking with Chief Plain
[Video Footage]
Piece of artwork by the first nation community
[Text on screen fades in]
THIS PARTNERSHIP DEMONSTRATES HOW WE CREATE SHARED VALUE WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF CANADA
[Uplifting music fades]
[Shell pecten logo appears over white background]
[Happy shell music over logo]
Our plan will deliver on Shell’s commitment in the area of 4 core elements of our strategy
Community Engagement
The goal is to demonstrate our commitment to Indigenous Peoples and communities by engaging and consulting meaningfully in a respectful and inclusive manner; and, to provide progressive benefits by developing and fostering trust, credibility and to meet the intent of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The actions focus on: Engagement & Consultation, Advocacy and Emerging Issues, Indigenous Agreements and Actions for Reconciliation.
Business Development
The goal is to provide sustainable local economic benefits to impacted Indigenous communities through healthy, market-competitive direct and indirect commercial relationships. The actions focus on: Local Contracting, Local Enterprise Development and Local Workforce Development.
Community Investment
The goal is to establish mutually beneficial relationships between Shell and Indigenous Peoples and communities. Shell’s community investment will contribute to long-term improvements in the quality of life and help create an environment conducive to sustainability. Shell will engage in community investment efforts across Canada as a way to promote sustainable development, build local capability and foster healthy communities. The actions focus on: Education, Community Development and Health, Safety and Environment.
Employment
The goal is to invest in the Indigenous Peoples future employable workforce, hire employment-ready Indigenous people, and create an inclusive and supportive work environment to retain and promote the Indigenous people Shell employs within their workforce. The actions focus on: Attraction & Recruitment, Inclusion/Retention/Development/Advancement, Aboriginal Employee Network, and a Future Employable Workforce.
more in communities
Indspire
Shell is proud to be a long-time supporter of Indspire. For over thirty years we have been investing in post-secondary scholarships and programming. “Photo provided courtesy of Indspire”
The Banff Centre
Shell is proud to support Banff Centre’s Indigenous Leadership and Management Programs for Indigenous leaders.
You might also like
The energy future
We are using our know-how, technology and innovation to deliver more and cleaner energy for the world's growing population.
Shell Eco-marathon Americas
A three-day, family-friendly, free weekend to discover, think, create, with hands-on activities celebrating science, technology, engineering, math and energy.
Careers at Shell
Discover the impact you could make with a career at Shell.