b'CCAB RETROSPECTIVEprocurement through Supply Change has only shown prodigious growth with no CCAB: THE FUTURE signs of slowing down. Supply Change has created space for more Indigenous entrepreneurs to succeed. AS CCAB CELEBRATES ITS 40TH ANNIVERSARY, ITIn 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation CONTINUES TO GROW AND EVOLVE IN THE INDIGENOUSCommission released its nation-shaking BUSINESS SPACE. WHILE ITS SUCCESS TO DATE ISreport. Of its 94 Calls to Action, one was aimed directly at corporate Canada. UNQUESTIONABLE, IT IS ALSO KEEPING AN EYE ON THECalltoAction92calledformean-FUTURE. HERE IS SOME INSIGHT INTO THAT FUTURE FROMingful action, and equitable access and A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THEeducation for all. CCABs mandate and ORGANIZATIONS DEVELOPMENT. programs became essential tools for companies looking to make profound changes to their business approach in response to this call. Supply Change MARIE DELORMEwould become an essential part of FORMER CCAB CO-CHAIR the answer. Its important not to rest on the laurels of where weve come from inThe last 10 years have been a time the 90s. Theres so much more work to do. Weve made progress in sooftremendousgrowthforCCAB. many ways, but we have a long way to go. When I look at the numberMembership went from less than 200 of Indigenous people sitting on publicly traded boards, the numbers areto more than 2,500; the PAR program nowhere near where they need to be. went from 14 companies to 250. And it was during this time that Supply Change and a platform called Tools and Financing for Aboriginal Business were JP GLADU launched and flourished. As well, CCAB FORMER CCAB PRESIDENT & CEO introduced Aboriginal Business Report, which has grown into the countrys largest There are more lives to change and support. People need to feel whenIndigenous business magazine. they are coming in and out of high school that theyve got a place in the world, and they see a vision of hope. I see CCAB solidifying theGLOBAL PROBLEMSprocurement space in the whole ecosystem around supporting IndigenousOne could say that the visionary leaders entrepreneurs. Thats also making sure that we have all the tools andwho have led CCAB in its 40-year history financing opportunities to support their growth and they have access tohave been cut from the same cloth. All business activities. have been strong-willed, persistent, empathetic, and driven by an unshak-able desire to do better for the coun-trys Indigenous business community. PAUL SUMMERS Murray Koffler, Jocelyne Soulodre, Ron FORMER CCAB CO-CHAIR Jamieson, Paul Summers, Clint Davis and JP Gladu all fit that image. Todays CEO, I see the stories of the entrepreneurs, the younger people, and the peopleTabatha Bull, is no different. An engineer who run smaller businesses. Im nothing but positive for the future ofby profession, Bull was hired by Gladu Aboriginal business in Canada. and initially worked alongside him as CCABs chief operating officer. In 2020, she stepped into the role of president and CEO, just as the world ground to RON JAMIESON a halt. FORMER CCAB CO-CHAIRIts about time weve got corporate Canada, the government and theThe COVID-19 global pandemic put busi-Indigenous population all working together in the same direction. Thats anesses in peril overnight. The world expe-rienced supply chain collapse, economic major coup and its worked very well but it wasnt easy. We got there byunravelling, and widespread uncertainty virtue of the success of the organization. When youre successful, peoplethat saw untold businesses close their want to work with you. Theres a recognition that CCAB is doing gooddoors for good. Indigenous businesses things so lets jump on board with them and see if we can work together tonormally tend to face more systemic do an even better job. barriers than non-Indigenous businesses as a baseline, but a global pandemic put them at even more risk of failure. 28A CCAB PUBLICATIONSpring 2024'