KPMG in Canada announces collaboration with Indigenous Peoples to protect biodiversity

$500,000 investment for pro bono professional services to support transition to a nature-positive economy

MONTREAL, Dec. 13, 2022 /CNW/ - At COP15, KPMG in Canada is pleased to announce a $500,000 investment in pro bono professional services to support projects led by Indigenous organizations that will have an impact on the protection of nature and biodiversity.

Over the next few months, KPMG and Indigenous organizations will work together to implement this initiative set to launch in the spring of 2023 in Quebec. The pro bono services, offered over a two-year period at the firm's effective rates, will be provided to Indigenous communities, organizations and businesses based on parameters designed together to support the transition to a nature-positive economy.

With this commitment, KPMG is taking a concrete step towards collaboration on the imperative of halting and reversing nature loss and calls on all organizations to join and make every effort to address climate change and promote responsible economic growth.

"As traditional custodians of nature, Indigenous Peoples are champions and leaders in the preservation of our planet," says Benoit Lacoste Bienvenue, Managing Partner in Quebec at KPMG in Canada. "We look forward to finding solutions together to tackle the nature crisis."

Earlier this year, KPMG launched its Truth and Reconciliation Action Plan, a multi-year strategy that aims to create sustainable socio-economic benefits for Indigenous Peoples.

"KPMG is committed to advancing reconciliation through building strong relationships with Indigenous communities and businesses," says Tammy Brown, deputy chair of the board of directors at KPMG in Canada, partner sponsor of the firm's National Indigenous People's Network and a member of the Shawanaga First Nation. "While much work still needs to be done, today's investment is another important opportunity to amplify and engage Indigenous voices along that journey and protect nature for many generations to come."

KPMG in Canada is proud to be part of the COP15 conversations in Montreal, and is committed to protecting biodiversity through concrete and impactful actions. To learn more about KPMG's progress towards its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) commitments, read the recently launched 2022 Our Impact Plan: Canada.

KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs more than 10,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country.

The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see home.kpmg/ca

SOURCE KPMG LLP