Corporate Social Responsibility in Action

Canadian Royalties Inc. Nickel Mining in Nunavik

An investment in relations with those who may contribute to the companies’ growth or those who may simply be in the region where the company activities take place is an investment that cannot be overlooked today. Relationships are at the core of successful business practices and the importance placed on reputation, job satisfaction, advancement among the spectrum of many other people related issues is what supports the companies vitality and longevity within the community where operations happen. Those people who stand behind the organization and participate in making decisions have influence over how the company will perform but also of equal importance in the age of instant communications and distribution, the management of how the company will be perceived. Building the companies’ brand through leveraging best practices in CSR is a winning strategy that has considerable upside for companies facing levels of scrutiny unheard of in just the last decade.

Meaningful contribution to Corporate Social Responsibility is no longer a policy concept that is essentially on the record. Proactive demonstration of actual steps toward implementation and follow through have become mission critical today in the resource sector where so much is at risk toward ensuring the proper flow of activities toward profitable outcomes.

The risk associated for those organizations proceeding without consideration to informing their stakeholders in a meaningful way about the values and principles that extend from the corporations leadership brings a downside. Planning, and development of CSR strategies combined with proactive implementation is a robust strategic management function that will support more meaningful and positive impact especially during times when unexpected circumstances emerge and hold the company accountable or blindside the company due to lack of planning and community engagement.

This investment goes to the heart of building the organizations brand and by extension goodwill across the organization and externally among the many people in the community who one day may influence the companies growth. Moreover, the company may need the support particularly when facing obstacles or potential barriers. Not making the commitment places the corporation at risk of losing valuable goodwill among stakeholders who extend well beyond the local region and include a global audience today as information is rapidly shared. 

Back to school on campus in Zug, Switzerland

Jeffrey & Donald

The flight to Zurich took about 10 hours once the Airbus lifted off the ground in Toronto. Zug is about 30 minutes outside of Zurich on the edge of a lake surrounded by mountains. The place is very picturesque and my first day has been quite special having flown over with Dr. Oxford York, then being greeted at the airport by Dr. Henderson with his associate Marcel from Monarch Business School of Management.

Marcel drove us across Switzerland to our destination in the remarkably manicured Zug. I will include a few images of the town.

The reason for being here is to take part with my student cohort and faculty in a workshop about preparing the doctoral thesis. I’ve been asked to give a presentation about my area of focus. This will include a video presentation along with a few slides that depict the engagement gordongroup has had underway documenting the James Bay Crees of Eeyou Istchee over the last four decades including all the individuals and stakeholders who have contributed to their Nations phenomenal growth within Canada.

Taking the path to higher education has returned many great experiences and Zug is just the latest opportunity that has unfolded along the pursuit.

Images from James Bay, Eeyou Istchee

Sturgeon Falls Waswanipi, Quebec

Planes, Boats and ATVs

I’m back here in the community of Whapmagoostui, Northern Quebec on the coast of Hudson Bay. Around 2000 people live here including both Crees and Inuit. My last experience here was in the 1990’s while underway working for the Crees educational system.

This trip includes introductions to people from different cultures. The plane from Nemaska did a stop over briefly in another Cree community Waskaganish before beginning the northern trajectory past James Bay further into a region known as Ungava bordering Hudson Bay.

While onboard the aircraft I struck up a conversation with Alux an Inuk who during the trip north was looking out the window at the clear view of the coastline below. He let me know that he was on the look out for Beluga whales. The Beluga is a primary source of food for the Inuit people. The tradition involves a crew of men who travel to the whales off the coast aboard their boats; they harpoon and shoot these sea creatures for provision of food for their communities. My idea of seeing these animals cruising the surface shifted to thinking about what the slaughter might be. My introduction to people from distant lands is rich learning and hunting is a way of life foreign to urban societies.

Our stay in Whapmagoostui (Great Whale) has included introductions to many people and visits to many locations. A coastal community Whapmagoostui has the magnificent Hudson Bay ever present as a backdrop. The region includes beachfront, sand dunes combined with hilly terrain mixed with lakes and rivers. The natural terrain has a landscaped look that is picture perfect. A natural splendor, groomed well beyond any man made garden. We’re here in summer and we’ve been afforded almost temperate conditions with fresh breezes purging biting flying insects. Breeze coming from across broken ice flows, over the vast waters of Hudson Bay. This weather is an easy adjustment for our crew of urbanites by comparison to the extreme cold served up for most of the year here in the north.

Another primary mode of transportation here is the ATV (All Terrain Vehicle). These torqued up dune buggies have been used for about twenty years. They’re a multi-purpose utility that provide riders and passenger’s transportation across the spectrum including recreation, hunting as well ATV’s are good for getting the groceries or Sunday driving. A compact personal vehicle with rock proof suspension frames and highly efficient engines make the ATV design the transportation of choice for those living in the community.

Getting from point A to point B is a common aspect of life in the North and different modes of travel keep people together. The ATV provides an exhilarating driving experience, a great option of mechanized travel that further enables living on land.