Business leaders charged with future-proofing their organizations recognize the need to align their corporate values around sustainability and inclusivity with those of their customers, partners, and employees. An organization’s policies regarding the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, economic, and sociocultural) are key to determining its growth.
Of these three pillars, sociocultural sustainability may be the most difficult to get right because it goes beyond economic benefits. Sociocultural sustainability refers to practices that prioritize cultural understanding, inclusion, and community well-being through respectful and mutually beneficial partnerships.
For values-based organizations, one powerful way to generate sociocultural benefits is by building relationships with Indigenous businesses and communities. These relationships can support indigenous communities socially, culturally and economically, generate revenue and expand reach into new regional and global markets. And identifying growth strategies based on Indigenous insights and perspectives can strengthen non-Indigenous organizations.
Local industry, global expansion
Sociocultural relationships are revitalizing a business that has long been central to Wendake, an Indigenous community of Quebec’s Wendat Nation.
At Bastien Industries, artisans have been making handcrafted moccasins for nearly 150 years. Jason Pickard Binet, a member of the Wendat Nation of Wendak, remembers his grandfather working there in the 1930s.
When Picard Binet acquired the family-run company in 2022, his background was not primarily in shoes or fashion, but in Indigenous tourism, most recently with the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC). Ta. His ambition to establish Bastien is based on the principles of socio-cultural sustainability, with interactions with companies in Canada, the United States and beyond, ensuring this long-standing, Indigenous-owned and operated business is future-proofed. We support you to prosper.
“In the 1930s, about 80 percent of the Wendake community had connections to Bastien,” says Picard Binet. “It’s a big part of our history. And that’s what inspired me to become an entrepreneur and take this business to the next level and bring it into the world of fashion and as an Indigenous business for tourism. Rather than being seen as apparel for everyone.”
To that end, Bastien is building relationships with companies as far away as Paris, France, and retailers have begun selling Bastien moccasins in a growing number of stores in France and across Europe. Growing demand for our products means great opportunity for Bastien Industries and Wendat Nation community members.
The more Bastian expands, the more he will be able to share the Wendat culture with others. While moccasins make up almost the entire product line of the company, Bastien recently partnered with Canada’s tourism agency, Destination Canada, to make luggage tags and passport holders using real leather. It has expanded its products and the scope of Wendat tradition and culture to the following locations: They are as far apart as China and Japan.
“If my vision is to move into the world of fashion and big-box retail,” says Picard Binet. [are] It’s really towards those partnerships. ”
Appreciation or appropriation?
If the benefits of sociocultural sustainability extend in both directions, so too do the responsibilities.
When non-Indigenous organizations partner with Indigenous communities and businesses, local artisans are encouraged to use their own traditions, authentic We ensure reliability by incorporating products made using materials and special technology. These partnerships ensure that Indigenous communities receive fair compensation for their work.
This guidance distinguishes between cultural appreciation, which supports and promotes indigenous cultures, and cultural appropriation, which involves the risk of superficially disrespecting and expressing cultures solely for the benefit of external organizations.
“The economic impact of cultural appropriation is huge,” Picard-Binet says. He says when Canada recently studied the impact of cultural appropriation, it was estimated that Indigenous-owned businesses and artisans lost $1 billion in revenue to appropriation across the country.
“We employ people from our country, including small craftsmen who share our culture and history, so these partnerships must go beyond business. ” says Picarbinet. “These relationships are primarily cultural because they really support the entire Indigenous community.”
In a truly mutually beneficial partnership, both partners share the responsibility of educating people about the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. To foster greater equity, non-Indigenous partners establishing values-based relationships should take the initiative to learn Indigenous values and knowledge and approach these relationships with candor and respect. .
This understanding comes from a genuine personal connection that goes beyond getting a contract signed.
“Tourism is one of the major economic industries in our community,” says Picard Binet. “There are so many things to do as a tourist attraction, including hotels, restaurants, museums, and light shows. By sharing our products, we are sharing a part of our history and inviting our partners to spend time in Wendake. We invite you to understand our business.”
event inspiration
To implement and pursue meaningful sociocultural sustainability practices, non-Indigenous organizations can connect directly with communities and Indigenous organizations when planning business events.
Leaders planning events in Canada can find a unique opportunity to work with Indigenous communities to create lasting benefits for both sides of the partnership. Through ITAC and other Indigenous tourism organizations, organizations can learn how to respectfully partner with Canada’s Indigenous businesses representing sectors such as fashion, hospitality, dining, and ecotourism at events like this.
The Fifth International Marine Protected Areas Conference (IMPAC5), held in Vancouver, established an Indigenous Working Group comprised of representatives from Indigenous organizations and nations from across Canada. The working group will focus on indigenous peoples and their approaches to marine conservation and management, and will provide opportunities for indigenous participants to network, share and learn from each other about indigenous marine conservation approaches and efforts around the world. Contributed to the meeting to create.
The Signature Travel Network Owners Meeting in Montreal brought together top U.S.-based travel agencies and leaders from Canadian tourism organizations and providers to showcase Canadian tourism experiences. Organizers partnered with ITAC to highlight indigenous tourism as a must-see experience for U.S. travelers. The program included an opening protocol led by the Kanien’kehá Nation and an indigenous market hosted by Kahnawà:ke Tourism. Bastian Industries also gifted the delegation with moccasins and handmade leather goods.
The IMPACT Sustainability Travel & Tourism Summit in Victoria, British Columbia, in partnership with ITAC, contributes to the program’s core theme of Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsibility. The 2025 program will include Indigenous-led panels such as Indigenous Tourism and Land Management.
For non-Indigenous organizations, implementing sociocultural sustainability may require new ways of thinking. Successful initiatives depend on building meaningful and respectful relationships with Indigenous communities and organizations, respecting the long-standing traditions and customs of our partners while strengthening today’s economic and social needs. It’s taking place.
If you would like to learn more about socio-cultural sustainability in Canadian events, please visit the Destination Canada website.
