FortisBC has been awarded silver-level designation in Progressive Aboriginal Relations™ (PAR) from the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business (CCAB). The PAR certification program is an internationally recognized, Indigenous-led program that confirms corporate performance in Indigenous relations.

Earning a PAR designation marks a significant achievement in FortisBC’s long-standing commitment to fostering strong, respectful, and mutually beneficial relationships with Indigenous communities.

“We would like to congratulate FortisBC for this achievement and commend them for their work in this area,” said Chief Willie Sellars, Williams Lake First Nation. “FortisBC takes the time to know and understand our community, our people and our vision for the future. It’s by developing a true relationship that we’ve built the trust needed to undertake important economic initiatives together.”

Becoming PAR certified is a multi-year process of implementing action plans and targets in business development, leadership actions, employment, and community relationships. As a premier corporate social responsibility program, an independent, Indigenous third party verifies company reports on measurable outcomes and initiatives in four areas. These verified reports are then reviewed by an independent jury of Indigenous business leaders who assign the final certification level. This rigorous process assures Indigenous communities that a company is a good business partner, a great place to work, and committed to prosperity for Indigenous communities.

FortisBC has a long history of engaging with First Nations. In 2001, FortisBC worked with many Indigenous leaders to develop its statement of Indigenous principles. Following that groundbreaking work, FortisBC sought to formalize its engagement and initiatives through the CCAB program. FortisBC began the PAR certification program in 2019 and engaged with the 58 Indigenous communities it serves to set meaningful performance benchmarks in the four key areas. For example, more than 90 per cent of employees completed Indigenous Awareness Training in 2022, exceeding the company’s goal of 85 per cent.

FortisBC is one of 24 organizations the CCAB designated as PAR-certified this year and joins more than 200 PAR-certified organizations across Canada. For more information about FortisBC’s commitment to Indigenous relations, visit fortisbc.com/indigenous and for more about the PAR certification program, visit ccab.com.