Great-West Life has reaffirmed its commitment to reconciliation by announcing its first-year progress and future goals toward Winnipeg’s Indigenous Accord.

“We have an important role to play in our collective journey of reconciliation, whether it’s empowering Indigenous employees or supporting community initiatives that further Indigenous rights and well-being,” said Stefan Kristjanson, president and chief operating officer of Great-West Life. “We’ve worked with the Indigenous community to establish a strong foundation in the Accord's first year and look forward to continuing down this path, guided by shared principles of respect, equality and collaboration.”

A long-term process

Rooted in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action, Winnipeg's Indigenous Accord sets out a responsibility accepted by signatories to participate in a long-term process of reconciliation and to report their success and future goals annually.

As one of the Indigenous Accord's inaugural signatories, Great-West Life has committed to fostering a workplace culture in which Indigenous Peoples and all employees can contribute to their fullest potential.

Great-West Life said it has made progress in its first year, including promoting a diverse workforce, implementing new training initiatives to foster a more inclusive workplace culture and providing support to Indigenous community programs.

In the year ahead, Great-West Life expects to expand unconscious bias training within its workforce and launching Indigenous employee resource groups.