KPMG in Canada commits $250K to Indigenous business students at U of A

The U of A’s Alberta School of Business has received a $250,000 gift commitment from KPMG in Canada to advance Indigenous business students’ equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities.

BRIDGES to Business for Indigenous Students will run five years, beginning in September 2023. Among the numerous components of the program are a summer workshop for students entering the business school each year, a case studies competition and hosting of functions.

Overall, the program’s engagement activities will support Indigenous cultural knowledge and ways of being and learning. The goal is to weave Indigenous experience and perspective into Canada’s corporate community via new graduates as they become future business leaders.

“Canada is realizing that Indigenous ways of business are just good business,” said Jade Psutka, the senior manager, Indigenous enablement and recruitment, talent attraction with KPMG in Canada.

“We (Indigenous people) have the rule of seven generations (a.k.a. the Seventh Generation Principle) and we must think about how the actions we take today will affect the generations to follow.“

As well, a core concept of Indigenous business is relationship building, an idea widely understood as essential to the prosperity of contemporary business operations.

KPMG hopes this program will ensure that in the near future Indigenous employees are “not a division or subset,” said Psutka, but are represented in every aspect of the business community, from entrepreneurs to CEOs.

“It’s about celebrating your Indigenous identity and being comfortable enough to bring that to corporate Canada,” she said.

“It’s about being in a room and not being the only Indigenous person there bringing forward (Indigenous) community considerations when we consider deals, banking or accounting. It’s about making sure there is consultation with Indigenous communities that take into account our rights as peoples, guardians and knowledge keepers.”

The impetus to create BRIDGE is part of KPMG’s Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan, set out in October 2022. The collaboration with the Alberta School of Business is KPMG’s first such official agreement reached with a post-secondary business school for the support of Indigenous students.

KPMG has also offered the Indspire Indigenous Student Awards since 2012, and the Indigenous Internship Program since 2021.

Indspire offers financial assistance for Indigenous students studying programs such as business, economics, accounting, IT, and communications. The internship program offers career opportunities in audit, tax, advisory, digital and ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance).

KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service audit, tax and advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians for more than 150 years.