Earthjustice is a diverse group of people who care about the environment, who care about justice, who care about each other, coming together to make a collective impact. That is the heart of who we are.

As we think about diversity, equity, and inclusion and how we enter into community with one another, we ask that: we honor our stories, be present for each other, and strive for empathic action in every moment. At our core is the idea that we demonstrate the deepest part of our humanity through interacting with each other and showing we care.

At Earthjustice, we are aligning our efforts to reflect who we are as an organization today. Our DEI team is advancing four areas of impact: community, accountability, respect, and empathy (CARE).

Community

Nurturing a community that reflects the diversity of our lived and shared experiences.

Accountability

Aligning our actions with our mission and values with a commitment to self-reflect, learn, and improve.

Respect

Respecting who we are, where we come from, and the policies and practices that guide us at work.

Empathy

Infusing empathy into how we relate to one another.

Our CARE model is the framework into a new way and approach of upholding our core values of Justice, Excellence, Partnership, and Inclusion as we travel along our DEI journey.

Our diverse, talented staff embody the very best of Earthjustice, and we are able to do our finest work when our staff live by our values in their everyday work.

Hosted by the DEI team, the annual Peer Recognition Awards is a part of our work towards achieving our goal of improving employee satisfaction, engagement, culture of trust, support, respect, and inclusion. The awards aim to give peer-to-peer recognition and honor our colleagues who have made immense contributions to the culture and mission of Earthjustice in the categories of Advocate, Culture Glue, Justice Warrior, Leader by Example, Leavening Spirit, Standard-bearer, Unsung Hero, and Excellence.

Below are a few of our recognized staff with comments from the Earthjustice colleagues who nominated them:

Vanessa Tyson, Director of HR Partnerships in our Washington, D.C. Office

“Vanessa has impeccable judgment, empathy, and poise even in the most challenging situations. She asks excellent questions and is a strong advocate for our staff and our culture. I appreciate her ongoing dedication to improving our employee experience and making Earthjustice a better workplace for all.”

Aislinn Sterling, Major Gifts Data Assistant in our Headquarters

“No conversation with Aislinn is dull, I leave every conversation smiling and strive to bring more joy to my day as she does.”

Erin Whalen, Staff Attorney in our Alaska office

“Erin advocates fiercely for her clients and takes the time and effort to get to know and meaningfully understand their aims and concerns. She comes up with creative and compelling legal and factual arguments. She navigates dicey coalition politics with the smoothness of an international diplomat. She models collegiality and thoughtfulness. She engages deeply in our DEI work.”

Matt Horst, Donor Marketing Coordinator in our Midwest Office

“Matt takes on a seemingly unlimited list of tasks and manages them happily and so professionally. Working with Matt is like having a secret weapon.”

Affinity groups are one of several diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Earthjustice to intentionally cultivate an inclusive organizational culture. The groups are designed to serve as spaces where members can connect, network, and fellowship, as well as uplift and celebrate their shared experiences. Each affinity group welcomes all at Earthjustice who identify with the group’s values, interests, and goals. Staff at Earthjustice are welcome to establish new affinity groups.

Below is a list of the many employee-led affinity groups and employee resource groups (ERGs) within Earthjustice:

• Black at Earthjustice (BaE)
• Disability Justice at Earthjustice (ERG DJ@EJ)
• LatinX
• Multi-Racial EJ
• Out and Green (LGBTQ+)
• Southwest Asian/North African (SWANA)
• Sharing, Understanding, and Relearning Identities of Asia (SURIA)
• White Caucus Groups

Affinity groups are open to any staff members in the organization, including and not limited to full-time staff, part-time staff, fellows, and clerks.

Earthjustice is committed to expanding our work and partnerships with communities disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution and climate change. Despite our country’s pledge that all people are equal under the law, communities of color, indigenous communities, and low-income communities have historically and currently shoulder the burden of environmental impacts. Representing these disproportionately impacted communities is a critical priority of our legal, advocacy, and communications efforts.

Promoting diversity both within and beyond Earthjustice, in our staff and in the clients and partners we work with, is critical to our success. Working with environmental justice partners to tackle systemic inequities is one of Earthjustice’s ongoing priorities.

The stories below illustrate how Earthjustice — in partnership with the very communities that are impacted — uses the power of the law to defend the right of all people to a healthy environment:

Download 2019 DEI Report Card

Each year, Earthjustice develops a comprehensive Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Plan to lay out annual internal and external organizational goals. Included in the plan are tangible objectives and metrics for accountability that will keep us committed to our vision.

A report card issued in early 2020 reviewed the progress we made in 2019 towards our goal of becoming a more inclusive and diverse organization that centers equity in all that we do.

The goals reflect the work we believe is essential to do on DEI. We will continue our work to recruit and retain multi-culturally sophisticated employees and to build a stronger culture of inclusion. And, we will work to diversify our clients, partners, donors and supporters to ensure that we are serving all communities impacted by environmental issues.