Introducing the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Institute (RRII)

Press Release

May 16, 2025

The Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE) and the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association (NATOA) are excited to announce the launch of a new, independent, Indigenous-led non-profit organization: the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Institute (RRII).

Since 2017, SHARE and NATOA have partnered to operate the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Initiative (RRII), with the goal of mobilizing institutional investors to use their voices and capital to promote positive social and economic outcomes for Indigenous Peoples. As a result of the RRII’s success, the project’s operation, activities and influence have increased, requiring a new long-term vision, structure, and plan.

The Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Institute (RRII) will be governed by an Indigenous Board of Directors, with SHARE providing secretariat services and partnering with NATOA to deliver education and capacity-development programming.

The RRII’s inaugural Board of Directors will include three prominent Indigenous leaders with vast and varied experience in promoting economic reconciliation:

Sxwpilemaát Siyám (Chief Leanne Joe): member and Hereditary Chief of the Squamish Nation, trustee for the Squamish Nation Trust, and director for the New Relationship Trust
Wayne Kaboni: member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory and the NATOA Board of Directors; trustee for the Wikwemikong Trust, and Economic Trust of the Southern Interior
Jessica Keeshig-Martin: member and Councillor for the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation, member of the SHARE Board of Directors and Chair of its Governance and Nominations Committee

The purpose of the Institute will be to:

Increase awareness of Indigenous reconciliation as an investor issue, and mobilize a broad range of Indigenous and non-Indigenous investors in support of reconciliation;
Support development of Indigenous investor leadership on the connection between institutional investment, community development, and reconciliation;
Provide guidance and support to investors on ways they can address reconciliation and Indigenous rights issues in their fund governance, investment policies and practices, including through impact investing, stewardship, ESG integration, and working with investment managers; and,
Identify and highlight good corporate practices related to business and reconciliation, and normalize reporting on Indigenous-related indicators that will make it easier for other companies to follow, and for others in the investment value chain to identify and consider those practices in their own decision-making processes.

Quotes

“The foundation of the RRII has always been the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action 92, which calls on the corporate sector to honour the United Nations’ Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People. The organization’s growth into an independent entity is the kind of transformative step needed to reshape our economy to reflect Indigenous values and practices.”

— Sxwpilemaát Siyám (Chief Leanne Joe)

“The RRII has achieved significant success, resulting in an expansion of its activities, workplan and partnerships; becoming an independent, Indigenous-led organization is the next logical step in that evolution. This transformation will help the initiative effectively advance its core value of centring Indigenous leadership by broadening the partnership to include additional Indigenous leaders and organizations.”

— Kevin Thomas, CEO, SHARE

“We are tremendously excited for this next step in the evolution of the RRII. The establishment of the Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Institute will give the organization greater capacity to support Indigenous investors through research, education and advocacy that centres and prioritizes Indigenous voices, values, and perspectives.”

— Dr. Lauren C. Cripps, Director of Education and Interim Executive Director, NATOA

Contact

For more information, visit https://rrii.org or contact Joseph Bastien, Associate Director, Inclusive Economy at SHARE at jbastien@share.ca.

For media inquiries, contact Adam Burns, Communications Manager at SHARE at aburns@share.ca.

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