There are so many very talented and capable indigenous people in this country who could fill these seats on the boards, but we need to make sure we look beyond the criteria that we have always consideredargued the President and CEO of the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), Tabatha Bull.

Company boards should broaden their criteria when recruiting new members, woman bullbecause Aboriginal people are often excluded because, for example, they do not have high-level management experience.

One of the usual criteria for board positions is senior management experience, Frau said. bull.

We know there is a barrier to having Indigenous people in the leadership hierarchynoticed Tabatha Bull.

By sticking to such criteria, boards risk missing out on a whole group of people, she added.

” If we continue to stick to résumés, we will have limited opportunities to actually bring talented and incredibly bright Indigenous women and people to boards. »

She spoke during a virtual round table organized by theEmpire Club of Canadanext to Jenn HarperFounder and CEO of Cheekbones beauty cosmetics and from Tammy BrownNational Head of Industrial Markets at KPMG in Canada.

Woman Brown said boards should think about the results they expect from new appointments, not the traditional criteria they rely on, and consider potential candidates’ abilities beyond their resumes.

We look for recruiters who are able to bring a diverse group together, not just traditional recruitersShe said.

The moderator Caitlin TolleyLegal Counsel in the Department of Indigenous Justice at the Ontario Attorney General’s Office, pointed out that many of the challenges the women on the panel faced early in their careers persist today.

” Indigenous women still have to work harder to be seen. »

Woman harpers said she feels fortunate to have received funding for her start-up, whose products are now sold in 52 Sephora stores across Canada and more than 600 stores JCPenney in the USA.

In her opinion, a tiny portion of the venture capital goes to Aboriginal women.

Woman harpers encouraged Canadians to seek out companies that align with their values ​​and to support them in their purchases.

according to mrs bullIf changes are needed to increase representation of indigenous peoples on company boards, they should also have access to training on equity and indigenous issues so that responsibility for addressing these issues does not rest solely with indigenous peoples.

The entire board needs to reflect on its mission and responsibility in advancing indigenous reconciliation within the company, she said. And everyone at the boardroom must ask questions about how the policy or program affects tribal peoples.