5 reasons the Sustainability industry needs more indigenous voices

Operating in the environmental and sustainability space for over a decade has taught me many things, and for the most part it is filled with well meaning, bright, passionate people who do a fantastic job for their chosen organisation. However, for an industry that focuses on the taiao (environment) and equal outcomes in the corporate space, it is severely in need of more indigenous voices. I’m not saying this in a sense that we need more diverse faces at the table, I’m saying it in a sense that we need to ensure, that in whichever country we’re operating that we honour and uplift the mātauranga (knowledge) of the people who whakapapa (have genealogical link) to that land, be it Aotearoa, New Zealand, Tonga, Hawaii or America. This one whakaaro (thought) could easily take up an entire article, but for now, I’ve listed the 5 reasons we need more indigenous experts in the Sustainability industry. 

We honour the mātauranga of indigenous people in an authentic and genuine way. It takes a lot of the guesswork out for our (well meaning) professionals who mean well but miss the mark with enabling mātauranga to thrive. 

Mātauranga enriches our workplaces and supports great strategy. Traditional knowledge and western knowledge can coexist and with the right kind of understanding and implementation, we can utilise both of them to ensure great outcomes. 

Indigenous people have been living sustainably (and regeneratively) for generations. Understanding the land, communities and viability of an organisation (trade and tribe) is part of the indigenous way of being, our people practice this and intuitively understand the concept of sustainability. 

Indigenous people know their own land better than anyone else. This one might seem controversial, but even the most well meaning professional will not have access to the same knowledge or understanding of the land they call home. Allowing indigenous people to assess strategies, goals and objectives against what they know, would create good outcomes for the lands, communities and organisations they operate within. 

The appropriate tikanga is implemented authentically. I applaud our New Zealand businesses for implementing Māori protocols (powhiri, mihi, pepeha) and it is genuinely exciting to see more people take the leap into developing their cultural competency. These spaces offer an opportunity for our protocols to be implemented and shared with tauiwi (non-Māori) authentically, which only provides more opportunity for learning and ensuring the cultural safety of all. 

I know it’s not always easy to fill these roles with indigenous excellence, but as business leaders, we have a responsibility to at the very least create pathways to ensure indigenous people have equal opportunity to thrive in our organisations and business community. 

Translations: 

Aotearoa - Land of the long white cloud/ Māori name for New Zealand

Māori - indigenous people of Aotearoa, New Zealand

Mātauranga - knowledge, wisdom, understanding

Mihi - acknowledgement, greeting, tribute

Pepehā - expression of where we come from, acknowledgement of ancestry (lands, family, tribal connections)

Powhiri - welcoming ritual

Taiao - environment

Tauiwi - non- Māori, foreigner

Tikanga - correct procedure, customs (differ between tribes)

Whakapapa - genealogy 

If you or your organisation is looking for more indigenous excellence to add value to your sustainability and environmental outcomes, let us know.