Danone Canada is proud to announce our partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF), with the opening of a Legacy Space in our Toronto Office.
By becoming a Legacy Spaces partner, Danone takes a significant step in our reconciliation journey, demonstrating our commitment to promoting understanding, education, and dialogue about Indigenous history and culture among our employees.
Legacy Spaces: Education and Reconciliation
This announcement coincides with Danone’s global Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity (DEI) Week and DWF’s Secret Path Week—a nationwide initiative honoring the legacies of Gord Downie, renowned member of the Tragically Hip and Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old Anishinaabe boy who tragically lost his life fleeing Cecilia Jeffrey Residential School in 1966.
DWF focuses on building cultural understanding and creating a pathway towards reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Through awareness, education, and action, DWF aims to improve the lives of Indigenous peoples by shedding light on the ongoing and inter-generational impact of the residential school system in Canada.
As part of this partnership, Danone’s Toronto office will designate its main room as Legacy Space—a safe, welcoming environment where employees can engage in conversations about reconciliation. This space encourages learning about the rich and diverse cultures, experiences, and histories of Indigenous Peoples. In addition, over the next five years, Danone will contribute $25,000 to support DWF’s mission.
Danone’s Commitment to understanding History and Impact the Future
Melanie Lebel, SVP of Human Resources at Danone Canada, emphasizes the importance of Danone’s commitment to DWF, and Indigenous peoples in Canada:
“As a company that is deeply rooted in Canada, we must embrace our history and understand how we can have an impact on the future of reconciliation by continuing our Indigenous education journey. This reflects our unwavering commitment to our communities and DWF has a powerful mission that resonates perfectly with our values at Danone. This partnership was a natural fit to continue our learning journey and is a humble step in contributing to the wider reconciliation efforts.”
Supporting Indigenous Communities beyond DWF
Danone’s commitment to reconciliation goes beyond our partnership with DWF. As a longstanding partner of the Breakfast Club of Canada (BCC), we acknowledge the significant and unequal impact of food insecurity on Indigenous communities across Canada. That’s why in 2021 we’ve pledged $1.2 million over 5 years to establish new school breakfast programs in regions with the greatest need, ensuring that Indigenous children can start school with a daily nutritious breakfast, essential for their growth and well-being.
At Danone Canada, we acknowledge that reconciliation is an ongoing journey, and we appreciate the opportunity to listen, learn, and collaborate with community partners such as the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund and the Breakfast Club of Canada.
