IIPWG Newsletter - October 2026
Items excerpted from the October 2026 Investors & Indigenous Peoples Working Group (IIPWG) Newsletter. IIPWG strategy calls take place the third Thursday of the month. Learn more.
Indigenous Peoples and Transition Minerals Strategy Gathering
Galina Angarova, Executive Director of the SIRGE Coalition, debriefed strategy outcomes from Vision 2030: Indigenous Peoples and Transition Minerals Strategy Gathering, which convened more than 100 Indigenous leaders, allies, policy makers, investors, and funders to address the acceleration of mineral extraction and compounding impacts to Indigenous Peoples’ rights, territories, and resources.
The full-day gathering threaded conversations together on the energy transition, AI, and militarization with Indigenous-led solutions and existing work. Strategy breakouts examined self-determination and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), human rights defenders, data and knowledge use, and corporate accountability. Guiding strategy outcomes for the private sector included:
FPIC must be understood as a baseline standard for every project across all sectors;
Consultation with Indigenous Peoples is not the same as their consent;
High-quality disclosures are necessary for greater corporate transparency and accountability;
Companies should undertake expert trainings to deepen understanding of Indigenous Peoples’ rights; and
Corporate FPIC policies and compliance are essential as an investment criteria.
Angarova highlighted opportunity for Indigenous leaders and investors to co-design resources on corporate FPIC practices and improvements. For questions or more information, please contact info@sirgecoalition.org.
Indigenous Peoples’ Priorities at Climate Week NYC
Eriel Deranger, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Indigenous Climate Action and Founder of Woven, shared takeaways from the Indigenous world at NYC Climate Week. Among takeaways:
While the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ rights across systems has increased, it often falls short of embodying all the components of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC).
Simplified understandings of FPIC flatten “the diversity of Indigenous Peoples’ cultures, knowledge, and strategies.”
Indigenous Peoples’ lands, territories, and resources must not be sacrificed for the "greater good of society" amidst accelerating transition minerals investment, AI technology, and data center development.
Existing Indigenous models must be strengthened to cultivate new solutions to these pressing global issues.
Webinar Recording: Shareholder Trends and Tools to Advance Indigenous Peoples’ Rights
The webinar Trends and Tools to Advance Indigenous Peoples’ Rights through Shareholder Proposals (view recording and summary article) provided insights and shared resources to support investor engagements on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.
Drawing from reports about Indigenous Peoples’ rights at 2026 AGMs, expectations and good practices for Reconciliation Action Plans in British Columbia, and vetting corporate disclosures in investments, a central theme emerged: corporate engagement outcomes need to be assessed not only by the commitments secured for Indigenous Peoples’ rights, but by whether those commitments are implemented, disclosed, and reflected in companies’ relationships with Indigenous rightsholders. The webinar was co-presented by Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs, Reconciliation and Responsible Investment Institute, West Coast Environmental Law, and Tallgrass Institute.
Register: IIPWG Panel on AI and Data Sovereignty at Growth for Impact Conference
IIPWG will host the breakfast panel, AI and Data Sovereignty Priorities from Indian Country, on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 7:30 am during the Formative Growth for Impact Conference in Phoenix, AZ. This event platforms data sovereignty and AI experts from Indian Country to provide context for asset managers and financial advisors, and discusses the intersections of AI and Indigenous Peoples as a range of industries accelerate its use in the mainstream. Speakers include Dr. Traci Miller (Tribal Nations Policy Institute) and Daniel Oxendine (Roanhorse Consulting). Please register here; seating is limited and advance registration is recommended.