Page 26 - Suncor 360 - September 2014 - English

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FEATURE
SEPTEMBER 2014
360

Aboriginal suppliers evolve alongside Suncor

Our business in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has grown enormously in the past

15 years with the development of our Steepbank, Millennium, Firebag and Fort Hills projects.

And local contractors and suppliers, including those owned and operated by Aboriginal Peoples,
h h a av ve e g g r r o o w w n n a a n n d d e ev vo o l l v ve e d d w w i i t t h h u u s s . .

“More and more, Aboriginal companies are
showing their strengths and ability to W e W’ r e e ’ p r e r o p u r o d u t d o t o w wo r o k r k w w i t i h t h M M i k i k i i s s e e w w I n d u s t r i a l
I n d S u u s p t r p i l a y l , S a u s p u pc c l e y , s s a f u s l u p c r c o e d s u s f c u e l r p o r f o l o d a u d c - e b r e a r i n g ,
diversify their business offerings,” says o f l l o i f a t i d n - g b a e n a d r i t n i e g - , d l o i f w t i n n g s a a f e n t d y p t i r e o - d d u o c wt s n .
Shannan Schimmelmann, manager of safety products.

supply chain management, regional
business development.

We use businesses that are majority owned

by Aboriginal people to provide services
across our Canadian operations. The Fort

McMurray region is an excellent example.

Since we began developing the oil sands,

local Aboriginal companies have been
behind lodging, maintenance and support

services such as snow removal, lawn care,
road clearing and housekeeping. While we

still largely employ Aboriginal businesses in
these areas, we increasingly hire skilled

labour services, including drilling and

completions, engineering and construction,
and health, safety and environment roles.

Our Canadian Aboriginal Relations policy
encourages the full economic participation

of Aboriginal Peoples in our business – and
the impacts of these relationships have

been far-reaching.

Matchmaking
In 2013, Suncor spent more than $431 million We also work closely with several
with Aboriginal businesses in Wood Buffalo, Much of the work to follow through on organizations that support Aboriginal

bringing our total spend since 1999 to these commitments falls to the Aboriginal business development. In 1993, we became
almost $2.5 billion. Due to the increase in Business Development group, a small team a founding partner in the development of

skilled services, nearly half of that amount housed within Supply Chain Management the Northeastern Alberta Aboriginal
has been spent with Aboriginal businesses in in the Wood Buffalo region.
Business Association (NAABA), which

the last three years.
advocates on behalf of local Wood Buffalo
“We focus on relationship building and Aboriginal businesses.
“We have a commitment to give every
business development opportunities that
community affected by our activities the beneiit both Suncor and our suppliers,” The member-based non-proiit organization
opportunity to beneiit from energy has been instrumental in connecting
says Shannan. “We’re sometimes called
development,” Shannan says. “Doing what ‘matchmakers,’ as we match Suncor’s Aboriginal business providers with Suncor.

we can to help Aboriginal Peoples grow, business requirements with members of the
adapt and succeed demonstrates that our Aboriginal business community who can “We represent our members and work with
industry to help members obtain contract
commitments matter.”
fuliill those needs.”
opportunities, primarily in the local oil and