Advancing Indigenous Relations: Our PAIR Journey

For many businesses across Canada, Reconciliation is not separate from the future of work-it is part of how we build that future.

At The Adecco Group Canada, our purpose is to make the future work for everyone. That purpose calls us to consider how we hire, partner, invest in communities and shape opportunities. It also calls upon us to listen, learn and take meaningful action to strengthen relationships with Indigenous Peoples, communities and businesses.

Our journey through the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) - Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations (PAIR) framework is one way we are putting that commitment into action.

Reaching the Committed level is an important milestone for our organization. It represents an early stage in a longer journey-one grounded in learning, listening, accountability and a commitment to making the future work for and with Indigenous Peoples.

Why Indigenous Relations Matters

Reconciliation and economic inclusion are essential to building a more equitable and inclusive future. For businesses, that means recognizing Indigenous Peoples as rights holders and partners, and understanding that meaningful Indigenous engagement requires respect, transparency, collaboration and accountability.

Our Indigenous Relations Policy reflects this commitment. It applies across The Adecco Group Canada, including Adecco, Akkodis and LHH, and is grounded in fostering respectful, meaningful and sustainable relationships with Indigenous Peoples, communities, organizations and businesses.

Our approach is guided by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada's Call to Action #92, which calls on the corporate sector to build respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples, create equitable access to opportunities, and educate employees on Indigenous histories, cultures and rights.

This is why Indigenous relations cannot be treated as separate from our business. It must be woven into how we do business.

It influences how we build relationships, create employment opportunities, approach business development and procurement, engage communities and supports a workplace culture rooted in respect and inclusion.

What Is the CCIB PAIR Program?

The Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) is our partner in our pursuit of Partnership Accreditation in Indigenous Relations, or PAIR.

The PAIR framework provides a structure for organizations seeking to strengthen their Indigenous relations practices and advance authentic, accountable and sustainable partnerships.

The framework supports four key areas:

• Leadership Accountability
• Employment and Workforce Inclusion
• Business Development and Procurement
• Community Relationships

These areas provide an important foundation for translating our commitment to reconciliation into organizational practices and meaningful action.

Understanding the Committed Level

Within the PAIR continuum, the Committed level represents an important early milestone. It is about establishing strong foundations for Indigenous relations and demonstrating that an organization is prepared to begin meaningful work.

For us, that foundation includes three important elements:

• Leadership commitment to advancing reconciliation and Indigenous relations.
• Organizational readiness to embed this work into our business.
• Early but meaningful action that begins to translate commitment into practice.

The Committed level is not about having all the answers. It is about being prepared to learn, listen and act and ensure that our intent is matched by action.

That distinction matters. Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that requires sustained effort, curiosity, respect and accountability.

What Advancing Through the Committed Level Means for Us

Our PAIR journey is helping us think about Indigenous relations as an organizational responsibility rather than the responsibility of one individual, team or function.

That means strengthening awareness and accountability while creating greater internal alignment around Indigenous engagement.

Our Indigenous Relations Policy sets expectations for employees, leadership, partners and clients. Employees are expected to engage respectfully with Indigenous Peoples and communities, participate in Indigenous learning and awareness initiatives, and contribute to a workplace culture that values inclusion, respect and reconciliation.

Leadership has a role to play in championing reconciliation, ensuring practices and policies support meaningful Indigenous engagement and equitable opportunities, and fostering meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations.

Our approach also recognizes the importance of sustainable and equitable opportunities through employment, professional development, leadership pathways, supplier engagement and business partnerships.

Ultimately, this work is about moving beyond transactional engagement toward long-term relationships built on trust, transparency, collaboration and mutual respect.

How This Progress Supports Our People

Advancing Indigenous relations also means building understanding within our own organization.

Creating greater cultural awareness helps colleagues develop a stronger understanding of Indigenous histories, cultures, rights and experiences, including the impacts and legacy of residential schools.

We are committed to ongoing education and meaningful dialogue that can strengthen intercultural competence, cultural awareness, inclusive behaviours and respectful engagement. To build a shared foundation of knowledge, all employees within our business are required to complete Indigenous Cultural Awareness training.

This commitment helps create a shared understanding of our collective roles and responsibilities in advancing reconciliation.

By creating space for learning and reflection, we can continue building a workplace culture grounded in respect, learning and reconciliation.

Why PAIR Matters for Our Business

Strong Indigenous relations are also important to responsible and sustainable business.

For employers and business professionals, understanding Indigenous perspectives and building respectful relationships can support better-informed decision making and greater awareness of opportunities and risks.

Our commitment connects Indigenous engagement with employment, business development, procurement and community relationships. It also supports broader commitments related to responsible growth, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and reconciliation.

Economic reconciliation is an important part of this work. Creating equitable opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous businesses can contribute to more inclusive participation in Canada's economy.

For our business, the objective is not simply to meet a requirement or achieve an accreditation. It is to build practices and relationships that can contribute to sustainable outcomes over time.

What This Means for Indigenous Partners and Communities

Our PAIR journey is ultimately about partnership.

We want to make the future work for and with Indigenous Peoples by building relationships grounded in trust, transparency, reciprocity and shared prosperity.

Our Community Engagement Plan is focused on building respectful and reciprocal relationships with Indigenous communities, organizations, businesses and leaders across Canada. It includes creating pathways for employment, skills development and economic participation, identifying opportunities to collaborate with Indigenous businesses and organizations, and encouraging employee participation in initiatives that advance reconciliation and community well-being.

We also recognize that meaningful relationships are built through ongoing engagement, listening and collaboration.

Progress is therefore defined in relationships-not by accreditation alone.

Acknowledging the Work Ahead

Reaching the Committed level is an important step, but it is only a step.

There are gaps to address, opportunities to learn and practices that will need to evolve. We recognize that meaningful reconciliation requires continued accountability and a willingness to listen to feedback and challenge our own assumptions.

We are grateful for the time, knowledge and leadership of the Indigenous partners, communities, organizations and businesses who help guide this work.

Their perspectives matter, and so does our willingness to listen.

Looking Forward: Continuing the PAIR Journey

Our goal is to continue advancing through higher PAIR levels over time.

That means continuing to listen, learn and evolving our practices. It means reviewing what we are doing, understanding where we can improve and remaining accountable for progress.

We’re committed to ongoing engagement and dialogue with Indigenous partners and communities, feedback from employees and Indigenous organizations, and continued review of Indigenous relations initiatives and outcomes.

This is a long-term responsibility.

Our PAIR journey is not a destination. It is part of an ongoing commitment to Truth & Reconciliation and to building relationships that are respectful, reciprocal and enduring.

Commitment Rooted in Action

For The Adecco Group Canada, Indigenous relations are connected to our purpose, our values and the future we want to help create.

They matter to our Indigenous colleagues and associates, our partners, our clients, Indigenous communities and future generations.

Our commitment is to keep making the future work for and with Indigenous Peoples.

We are grateful to the partners who guide us, challenge us and help us learn. We recognize that there is more work ahead, and we approach that work with humility, resolve and a willingness to continue evolving.

The Committed level is an important milestone in our PAIR journey. More importantly, it is a reminder that meaningful reconciliation is measured through action, relationships and accountability over time.

We will continue to listen.
We will continue to learn.
And we will continue working to turn our commitment into meaningful action.

 

Commissioned for The Adecco Group Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation journey, Cody James Houle’s artwork focuses on telling his family’s story and the healing power of representing intergenerational kinscapes. This piece “reconnecting” reflects the journey of healing through reconnection, returning to the land, to spirit, and to oneself. Rooted in Ojibway teachings of balance and relationship, the animals and mirrored forms remind us that healing begins by recentering within the circle of life. When we quiet ourselves and remember our place among all living beings, we come back into harmony.