Co-Creating Group Benefits Plans with an Indigenous Worldview

In August of 2022, Leanne Flett was appointed People Corporation’s National Vice President of Indigenous Practice Solutions. What drew her to the role was the opportunity to be integral in the building process of People Corporation’s Indigenous practice. “It’s common to see a flood of service providers and consultants show up at a First Nation at the first sign of incoming wealth. This doesn’t mean their interest is disingenuous, but the motivation is usually financial gain,” says Flett. “People Corporation’s sole objective isn’t financial opportunity; they’re also focused on improving the group benefits model offered to Indigenous Peoples.”

Flett’s Background in the Financial Services Sector

Flett has traveled the country working on Indigenous Settlement Trusts, servicing First Nations communities. Early in her career, she worked as an investment and wealth advisor for several investment firms. She gained experience in a variety of areas, including the life and health insurance space, and was instrumental in opening the first investment brokerage firm on reserve lands

Sponsored by in Westbank First Nation, British Columbia. Later she became the first Indigenous female director of a global investment management firm where she led the Indigenous Services Practice.

With Flett devoting her attention to the financial health and sustainable prosperity of Indigenous Peoples and First Nations communities, she’s ready to craft what this space will look like from an Indigenous perspective.

“I understand the brokenness in the industry,” says Flett. “Even with my successes, I’ve felt the bias. I’ve had the frustration of being the only Indigenous person there, sometimes having to explain how a simple business form excludes our First Nations governance structures. We can implement traditional knowledge into our business practices if our approach is Indigenousfirst. There are many ways to align Indigenous belief systems and methodologies into our work.”

Looking Forward

“This is a unique role, and I’m excited to build People Corporation’s national Indigenous Practice,” says Flett. She’s leading the change to improve health, wellness and prosperity for Indigenous businesses and their employees, and has already made traction. She’s coordinating Indigenous procurement practices, HR practices, Indigenous cultural awareness training and more. According to Flett, “Recognizing culture is important in all business practices.”

She’s also building group insurance and benefits, retirement transitions and employer/ employee pension plan portfolios that better reflect the traditional knowledge, health, wellness and family needs of First Nations, Métis and Inuit cultures. She’s working closely with three firms People Corporation has acquired, all of which offer exclusive service to Indigenous businesses. To help ensure a continued positive experience, she’s building in support of potential new acquisitions.

“This will outlast me. We’re building a framework with succession planning and support for those who come after me,” says Flett. “My mission is to co-create group benefits plans with an Indigenous worldview and reduce biases in business practices so that seamless processes exist for Indigenous businesses to get coverage that meets their unique needs. There’s enormous potential here, and I’m excited to start building the foundation of our National Indigenous Practice.”

To connect with Flett on the National Indigenous Practice and the needs of your business and teams, email leanne.flett@peoplecorporation.com

Leanne Flett is Swampy Cree and Red River Métis on her father’s side, and of Scottish and Irish descent on her mother’s side. She has a diploma in Economic Development from Simon Fraser University, a Wealth Management Essentials certificate from the Canadian Securities Institute, and has completed the Life License Qualification Program (LLQP) for life, disability and group insurance.

About People Corporation’s Indigenous Solutions Practice

People Corporation’s Indigenous Solutions Practice was implemented to improve the group benefits model offered to Indigenous Peoples. The Indigenous Solutions Practice will look at environmental, social and governance impacts on their clients, and supports and respects the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action—specifically Action 92, which “calls upon the corporate sector in Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework and to apply its principles, norms and standards to corporate policy and core operational activities involving Indigenous peoples and their lands and resources.”

About People Corporation

People Corporation serves business communities with group benefits, group retirement and human resource solutions, with industry experts who provide uniquely valuable insight to customize a suite of solutions for your organization.