Roadmap for Your Reconciliation Action Plan

Your firm can structure your Reconciliation Action Plan in a variety of ways; here are three examples:

  1. Use the TRC’s Calls to Action as the framework and build the action plans on the themes outlined in that document.
  2. Develop the document with standard headings that would appear in a strategy (vision, mission, goals, objectives, actions, etc.)
  3. A modified version of a strategic plan would be to consider and develop pillars or themes and build the report around those pillars.

The following are sample headings for this document based on the third option listed above.

  1. Acknowledgements (Indigenous advisory committee, Indigenous employees, clients, artists whose work appears in the document, etc. Thank and acknowledge everyone who contributed to the document)
  2. Introductory message from your firm’s lead executive (extending thanks, explaining why this document is important and how it is being used).
  3. Vision/Principles/Values (what will guide your firm as you implement this strategy/plan)
  4. Introduction/Background/Context/Purpose (TRC’s Calls to Action, purpose for preparing this document, overview of information contained within)
  5. Themes/Topics/Subjects/Headings/Pillars/Focus Areas (briefly describe each of the themes. See seven examples below. You may want to add, delete, combine or re-word these to better reflect the work undertaken by your firm.)
  6. Action Plan by Theme/Focus Area. This information can be presented as a series of pages of text, or it can be presented as a table, or it can be presented in an organic/holistic/circular visual way. Elements to include:
    1. Describe the action
    2. Specific tasks/deliverables related to that action
    3. Who will lead the action/who is responsible/who is involved
    4. Timeline
    5. Links to TRC Calls to Action or corporate goals or T&R principles
    6. Performance/achievement/success indicators/status of implementation
  7. Governance (land acknowledgements, governance policies, corporate direction, leadership benchmarks, etc.)
  8. Education (cultural awareness, intercultural competency, anti-Indigenous racism, etc.)
  9. Celebrating and Acknowledging (Indigenous Peoples Day, Orange Shirt Day, guest speakers, commissioning Indigenous artists, lunch & learns, office spaces, etc.)
  10. Employment (recruitment, retention, supporting Indigenous staff, HR policies and procedures)
  11. Clients (support non-Indigenous clients on their reconciliation journey, Indigenous business procurement,
  12. Supporting Indigenous businesses and communities (procurement, pro bono opportunities, volunteerism, corporate social responsibility)
  13. Implementation (how, in what format, who will report on advancing this action plan, when)

Consider including quotes from leadership, Indigenous advisory committee, employees and reports like the TRC or firm-specific documents. Here’s another resource to help you build your plan – check out CBA BC’s Reconciliation Response Plan for Law Firms.