Stories are powerful. Stories teach, advance diplomacy, break barriers, and promote healing.
Our story represents an effort to amplify voices that may otherwise go unheard, or unaddressed despite being heard.
Founded in 2017
Narratives emerged to negotiate space for early, respectful dialogue for all parties to make informed decisions that align with their principles, values, and ways of being.
It emerged to advance a holistic understanding of how projects, initiatives, policies, plans, and actions impact the social, cultural, biophysical, and spiritual fabric of the world within and around us.
It emerged to push the boundaries of research, policy, planning, and practice.
It emerged to do our part on the path to reconciliation, one story at a time. From the place where the Red meets the Assiniboine, within the traditional territories of the Anishinaabe, the Cree, the Anisininew, the Dakota, and the Dene peoples, in Treaty 1 territory, and the homeland of the Métis, we are Narratives.
How We Work
Principles of UNDRIP
Our work is informed by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and deeply inspired by the principles of storywork: respect, responsibility, reciprocity, reverence, holism, interrelatedness, and synergy. These inform our approach to Impact Assessment, while integrating the best practice principles of Impact Assessment by the IAIA. Together, these principles enable us to push the boundaries of best practice, approach each project with creativity, curiosity, and deliberate thinking about how we can do better each time.
Trauma-Informed Workplace
Narratives is a dedicated trauma-informed workplace. This mission to ensure client and employee psychological safety includes our staff being psychological first aid certified, equipping all with a personal understanding of the effects of stress, loss, trauma, and grief on others. Narratives has a dedicated trauma management plan for every initiative worked on – a plan that focuses on those we would engage with as well as our staff.
Ethical Leadership
Narratives is dedicated to operating in an ethical and sustainable manner. We are committed to taking deliberate steps to protect human rights, the community, society, and the environment in which we operate.
Narratives is committed to being a leader in sustainability through focused decision-making that supports and promotes environmental sustainability. Care for the environment is one of our vital responsibilities as an environmental firm, and key to how we conduct business. We strive to manage our carbon footprint, decrease our overall environmental impact, and reduce our energy use to contribute to a healthier planet for us, and our future generations.
Social Responsibility
All of our work is grounded in empathy, respect, humility, and innovation as committed to the well-being and deep understanding of others with a commitment to making positive change. Narratives is dedicated to reinvesting in and supporting its community, focusing on developmental priorities. This includes initiatives like local capacity building, livelihood development, and skills transfer.
Social Justice
Narratives is intentional about operating and doing business with diversity in mind. We ensure that our ethical, social, and environmental commitments are reflected in our employees and our clients. Social responsibility, diversity, and a trauma-informed approach is reflected in every aspect of our organization.
