Joanie Caron

Joanie Caron is a professor at the School of Indigenous Studies at the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) and a Strategic Advisor for the Québec Mineral Exploration Association (QMEA). She specializes in Indigenous employability and teaches business administration and natural resource management in Indigenous contexts. Her research focuses on building partnerships between the mining and energy industries and Indigenous communities, particularly in areas related to training, employment, business development, and entrepreneurship. Her master’s research, centered on developing a responsible development standard for mineral exploration, led to the creation of the ECOLOGO® Certification Program by the international organization UL. From 2012 to 2022, she played a key role in every stage of this innovative project—first as the standard’s development lead at UQAT, and later as project manager and director of its implementation at QMEA. Today, she continues to collaborate with UL and QMEA, as the program has now certified over 30 companies and recently expanded nationwide.