Who Belongs?
We believe that protecting our planet requires all of us: our diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and aspirations. However, the environmental field is currently too small, too narrow, and too inequitable. There is perhaps more diversity within grassroots organizations, but with increasing power and funding comes increasing inequity, decreasing diversity, and workplace cultures that do not foster inclusion.
How can we change that? We believe that change cannot arise through isolated trainings and workshops. Sharing stories is important. Creating common language is important. But so, too, is embedding change within organizations.
This is how we define these related terms in the context of the workplace:
Diversity: The presence of difference within a group. The presence of difference within an organization, in society, in the world, in nature. Diversity is inclusive of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, nationality, citizenship, neurodivergence, opinions, expertise, politics, and physical ability.
Equity: Proportional fairness, as opposed to equality, which involves sameness (of amount, treatment, portion, protection). Recognizing the uneven distribution of power within an organization, among organizations, or in society, and then working towards redistribution. Equity involves removing barriers to equal opportunity. Equity might have to do with making employment opportunities widely available, providing fair compensation, ensuring a reasonable and distributed workload, treating everyone with respect, and promoting the professional growth of staff and partners. Definitions vary widely and there is overlap with the term justice.
Inclusion: Ensuring that all individuals are and feel valued, welcome, and feel a sense of belonging—through celebrating rather than simply acknowledging diversity. Inclusion has to do with workplace culture, retention, norms, values, and celebrations. Inclusion also has to do with the stories we tell (internal and external communication).
Justice: Fairness. The fair distribution of costs and benefits across groups of people, geographies, nations, etc. Within the workplace, justice refers to policies and procedures that address fairness, including policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Thinking about justice is also useful in considering the interface between community engagement, human rights, and long-term impact.
How can we change that? We believe that change cannot arise through isolated trainings and workshops. Sharing stories is important. Creating common language is important. But so, too, is embedding change within organizations.
This is how we define these related terms in the context of the workplace:
Diversity: The presence of difference within a group. The presence of difference within an organization, in society, in the world, in nature. Diversity is inclusive of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, nationality, citizenship, neurodivergence, opinions, expertise, politics, and physical ability.
Equity: Proportional fairness, as opposed to equality, which involves sameness (of amount, treatment, portion, protection). Recognizing the uneven distribution of power within an organization, among organizations, or in society, and then working towards redistribution. Equity involves removing barriers to equal opportunity. Equity might have to do with making employment opportunities widely available, providing fair compensation, ensuring a reasonable and distributed workload, treating everyone with respect, and promoting the professional growth of staff and partners. Definitions vary widely and there is overlap with the term justice.
Inclusion: Ensuring that all individuals are and feel valued, welcome, and feel a sense of belonging—through celebrating rather than simply acknowledging diversity. Inclusion has to do with workplace culture, retention, norms, values, and celebrations. Inclusion also has to do with the stories we tell (internal and external communication).
Justice: Fairness. The fair distribution of costs and benefits across groups of people, geographies, nations, etc. Within the workplace, justice refers to policies and procedures that address fairness, including policies that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Thinking about justice is also useful in considering the interface between community engagement, human rights, and long-term impact.