Our values
We put our values at the forefront of our work
Ownership Control Access and Possession ®
Odonaterra is committed to following and respecting the First Nations Information Governance Centre’s (FNIGC) trademark OCAP® principles and the National Inuit Strategy on Research.
Below are the FNIGC’s definitions of ownership, control, access, and possession:
Ownership refers to the relationship of First Nations to their cultural knowledge, data, and information. This principle states that a community or group owns information collectively in the same way that an individual owns his or her personal information.
Control affirms that First Nations, their communities, and representative bodies are within their rights to seek control over all aspects of research and information management processes that impact them. First Nations control of research can include all stages of a particular research project-from start to finish. The principle extends to the control of resources and review processes, the planning process, management of the information and so on.
Access refers to the fact that First Nations must have access to information and data about themselves and their communities regardless of where it is held. The principle of access also refers to the right of First Nations’ communities and organizations to manage and make decisions regarding access to their collective information. This may be achieved, in practice, through standardized, formal protocols.
Possession While ownership identifies the relationship between a people and their information in principle, possession or stewardship is more concrete: it refers to the physical control of data. Possession is the mechanism by which ownership can be asserted and protected.
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
Odonaterra affirms and upholds the United Nations Declaration on the rights of Indigenous Peoples. We believe all Indigenous Nations should have the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent to any and all policies, development, or decisions that involve them.
The Institute for Human Rights and Business defines free, prior, and informed consent as the following:
Free: consent is given voluntarily and absent of coercion, intimidation or manipulation. The process is self-directed by the community from whom consent is being sought unencumbered by coercion, expectations or timelines that are externally imposed.
Prior: consent is sought sufficiently in advance of any authorization or commencement of activities.
Informed: engagement and type of information that should be provided prior to seeking consent and also as part of the ongoing process. Information should be accessible, clear, consistent, accurate, constant, and transparent and delivered in appropriate language and culturally appropriate format.
Consent: refers to the collective decision made by the rights-holders and reached through the customary decision-making processes of the communities.
Professional Codes of Conduct
Our team follows the highest codes of ethics and conduct relevant to their professional designations, including:
Odonaterra also has a Standards of Conduct Policy that must be adhered to by all staff and contractors. It ensures we maintain the highest standards of integrity and ethics in our work.