Indigenuity Consulting Group
Helping Clients Adopt a Culturally Responsive DEI Strategy

Indigenuity Consulting Group is committed to helping organizations create culturally responsive and inclusive work environments and practices. The company builds meaningful relationships with Indigenous people by facilitating critical dialogue between culturally diverse parties. Since 2000, Indigenuity has worked with over 300 Indigenous communities in Canada and around the world. With a diverse portfolio of services, including consultation and facilitation, organizational development, and inclusion and diversity consultation, Indigenuity has helped governments of all levels and private businesses succeed in their DEI endeavors.

In an interview with Manage HR, Janis Brooks, vice-President of Indigenuity, shares valuable insights into the company’s experience and approach.

Please give us an overview of Indigenuity and its unique position in the DEI space.

Our uniqueness builds on the striking similarities our work in Indigenous inclusion and reconciliation has to the guiding principles of DEI and accessibility. Being an Indigenous-owned organization with extensive experience working with Indigenous communities, we had incorporated DEI foundations into our work even before it was a trend. As a result, when the business community realized the benefits of DEI, we were able to quickly bring DEI focused solutions to our clients. I believe it gave us a natural fit in the DEI space.

What are the challenges your clients face while implementing DEI strategies?

Businesses often rely on specific frameworks or a department to implement DEI strategies. They fail to realize that DEI is an organizationwide initiative, requiring support from every team member at all levels. The lack of understanding makes it difficult for organizations to manage the cultural changes and align everyone with the larger goals.

We emphasize adding a change management process to our DEI strategies, ensuring sustainability and long-term value for our clients.

Could you walk us through the process you take in helping clients overcome DEI challenges?

Our team begins client engagement by assessing an organization’s current DEI status. Then, we delve deep to gain a solid understanding of how employees interact/communicate with one another, as well as with their client base. We also analyze if a client’s communication and recruitment teams act in a diverse, inclusive and accessible way.

These insights enable our team to custom build a DEI strategy aligning with clients’ growth objectives. We always embed employee engagement factors in DEI plans to encourage active participation from all levels.

Indigenuity then equips clients with the confidence, skills, and support necessary to implement the DEI strategy effectively. I believe the success of a great plan lies in its implementation. Our capacity-building training program mirrors this stance. It provides managers, supervisors, and leadership teams with foundational skills to successfully implement DEI initiatives.

We provide real-time support to mitigate any challenges or concerns arising while implementing our recommended DEI plans. Besides training, strategy, and policy, our team assists clients in inclusive communications for recruitment and hiring practices.

Can you share a case study where Indigenuity solved a DEI issue and helped the client attain what they wanted?

At Indigenuity, we believe inclusive language is a powerful tool to incorporate DEI into the way a company operates. Communication is the key to creating a culture in which everyone can feel valued, respected, and included.

For instance, one of our clients wanted to accommodate a more diverse talent pool. Our team deeply analyzed their interview procedures and how they reach out to potential candidates. Based on those insights, we identified that rewriting job descriptions and success profiles with a more inclusive language could effectivelyattract a diverse candidate base. Our team neutralized the language and redrafted descriptions of work qualifications, roles and responsibilities to best reflect the organization’s DEI stance.

The client witnessed female applicants applying for a role that typically welcomed male applicants. This is a great example of how certain minor changes can lead to a quick win.

What are the factors that set Indigenuity a notch above the rest?

We walk clients through multiple phases as opposed to an intensive strategy requiring people to constantly catch up.

Our DEI training programs have a high degree of personalization. We understand that DEI is often a divisive topic, and it might even meet resistance from leadership levels. We believe customized training programs and encouraging conversations is the best way to eliminate DEI misconceptions. Our team always strives to communicate and present such ideas while aligning with organizational values and ultimately finding common ground that fosters shared understanding. Indigenuity has a strong focus on breaking down systemic barriers in business processes to facilitate DEI adoption.”