According to Josh Riley, CCAB’s director of innovation and entre- preneurship, findings from those studies reinforced the need for the organization to make Aboriginal procurement a core focus in all its initiatives moving forward. “Aboriginal businesses want to become more involved in industry supply chains and they’ve proven themselves to be an asset for companies who answer that call,” he says. “That’s why the drive to encourage Aboriginal procurement will be ingrained in everything CCAB does moving forward.” CHAMPIONING THE MESSAGE The cornerstone of the organization’s Aboriginal Procurement Strategy is its Aboriginal Procurement Champions program. Chaired by Gladu and Suncor chief operating officer Mark Little, the Champions represent a high-profile group of Canada’s leading companies committed to endorsing Aboriginal procurement, both within their opera- tions and among their peers. “It’s one thing for me as an Indigenous person to say, “Supply Change and increase Aboriginal procurement outcomes,” but it’s another thing PARTNERS IN POWERFUL COMMUNITIES, Hydro One proudly partners with more than 100 First Nations communities across Ontario. PARTENAIRES DE VIGOUREUSES COMMUNAUTÉS, Hydro One s’associe avec fierté à plus de 100 communautés des Premières nations en Ontario. ABORIGINAL PROCUREMENT CHAMPIONS* *At time of publication The Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT 11