FAQs for the Washington Equity Statement
Links to each FAQ (links may not work in Internet Explorer):
Q: What Was the Goal In Creating an Equity Statement?
The goal of the equity statement is to motivate change that results in more equitable outcomes. This change should show up in how The Nature Conservancy works both internally and externally. A reflective, idealistic and public equity statement is a meaningful way to add transparency and build commitment for this work. The statement demonstrates that we at the Washington Chapter are committed to living out our values of “commitment to diversity” and “respecting people, communities and cultures” by holding ourselves accountable, and we expect our partners to hold us accountable as well.
Q: If my organization or team would like to adopt an equity statement, how might I start?
We ask that other organizations and teams do not copy and paste any part of our equity statement as your own.
We believe that each organization or team should craft an equity statement that is authentic to their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) journey. We embrace the differences that make each organization or team unique and recommend allocating generous time and resources to find your DEIJ voice. The process of examining our organization’s past and connecting it with the present guides us towards the future we seek to create. This process was deeply personal and necessary. We continue to learn and grow as a team, and our equity statement is a true reflection of these efforts. We wish you the same should you embark on a similar journey.
One resource for developing your own equity statement is Sapna Strategies’s Activity to Examine Organizational Racial Equity Statements. To learn more about our process and other public-facing equity statements we examined, please refer to our other FAQ questions.
Q: Why is the statement focused primarily on racial equity?
Equity statements, including this one, feature a keen focus on race because racial disparities exist in and impact all levels of society. Communities of color are disproportionately impacted by environmental challenges. In the US, race is the most significant predictor of a person living near contaminated air, water, or soil. (Reference: Bryce Covert, “Racism and Discrimination Race Best Predicts Whether You Live Near Pollution,” The Nation, February 18, 2016).
Science shows an “umbrella effect” when racial equity is addressed – meaning other marginalized groups experience a benefit from addressing race. So, while other types of disproportionate inequities exist, our initial focus on racial equity better prepares us to support other types of equity.
We define diversity very broadly including race, culture, color, sex, gender identity, national origin, nationality, age, ability or disability, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, geography, socio-economic status, faith, political beliefs, other identities and differences in thought.
Q: What are examples of when TNC or the conservation movement have benefited from white-dominant culture?
The conservation movement has often benefited from white privilege and dominance. These articles offer details:
Purdy, Jedediah. “Environmentalism’s Racist History.” (2015)
Taylor, Dorceta E. “Race, Class, Gender, and American Environmentalism.” (2002)
Merchant, Carolyn. "Shades of darkness: Race and environmental history." Environmental History 8.3 (2003)
Melosi, Martin V. "Equity, eco-racism and environmental history." Environmental History Review 19.3 (1995)
Villamagna, Amy, Beatriz Mogollón, and Paul Angermeier. "Inequity in ecosystem service delivery: socioeconomic gaps in the public-private conservation network." Ecology and Society 22.1 (2017)
TNC has a long history of protecting land in ways that provided unequal benefit to some people, often white, while creating hardship or harm for others such as Indigenous people. For example, land acquisition was at times done to protect views and access for wealthy land owners while cutting off access to others.
Q. What about economic disparity? How is that addressed?
Economic disparity is an important issue and is intertwined with race, geography and many other issues. We specifically acknowledge the importance of economic justice in the equity statement.
(Reference: Race, Income and Environmental Inequality in the United States. Sociol Perspect, Liam Downey and Brian Hawkins)
Q: How will you ensure that you hold yourselves accountable for this equity statement? What are the next steps?
Without action, an equity statement may quickly get dusty and not truly have an impact. Concurrently with the equity statement work, a staff team is creating a status report which summarizes our chapter’s DEI work to-date. The status report is likely to be drafted internally by Fall 2019.
An important next step after the equity statement and status report is the creation of desired outcomes, measurables, an action plan and a report card or similar tool that tracks our progress and builds accountability. This tool will be developed starting in Fall 2019 and may be public facing. Even with a tool to track progress, it’s vital we tackle the question of how to integrate this statement and commitment into our day-to-day work and into new and ongoing projects. We need everyone’s support and engagement to do this.
Q: What are some examples of how The Nature Conservancy in Washington’s work is evolving or might evolve with this equity lens?
Some recent examples using a racial equity lens in our conservation strategy and science work are our work on Emerald Edge, climate action, forests and fire, and our cities/stormwater work. It will be vitally important to integrate the equity lens into all aspects of our work and continue to develop our equity lens in current work.
Q: What is the role of the Washington Board of Trustees?
The Washington Board of Trustees plays a unique and vital role in shaping the equity statement and in integrating our commitments into all aspects of our work and culture. In addition to endorsing the equity statement, the board is engaging in workshops and being offered field experiences that ground them in the issues and how they impact our work, our staff and communities across our state. This learning sets the stage for being accountable for the commitments in the equity statement. While the equity statement has been staff driven, the board provided meaningful input that shaped the statement, and most importantly has a strong leadership role in helping make the vision a reality.
Q: Why is this an “equity” statement, not a “diversity, equity and inclusion” statement?
Equity is the focus because diversity and inclusion aren’t possible without equity, the full and appropriate access to power, opportunities and resources so that all people achieve their potential and thrive. Having diverse staff, trustees, partners and supporters is important. It is also important for those groups to feel welcomed and empowered to bring their full breadth of talents, perspectives and skills to The Nature Conservancy.
Q: Why do you list ability and disability in your diversity definition? What about disability justice? How is that addressed?
The community of people with disabilities is diverse, with some members having an affinity to “ability” and others to “disability.”
Showing Up for Racial Justice notes the connection between ability/disability justice and race: “We want to create a movement for racial justice that not only pushes back against disability stereotypes of tragedy, inspiration or irresponsible burden but that also fiercely resists the powerful undercurrents about the ‘feebleminded,’ the illiterate or accented people of our lives. These ideas, birthed in ableism, grease the cogs of white supremacy and perpetuate white privilege.”
Q: What research did you do to come up with this equity statement?
As we embarked on creating the equity statement, we read about DEI-related work to-date across the Conservancy including The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) 2013 Commitment to Diversity Initiative. We engaged other TNC staff who are leading DEI work in their respective teams and locales. At the heart of this statement are TNC’s core values of Commitment to Diversity and Respect for People, Communities and Cultures.
We also examined similar statements from other organizations including King County, City of Seattle, Code2040, Beautiful You Coaching Academy, Columbia Land Trust, the River Network, Camber Outdoors, Cascade Engineering, Camp Kesem, UNC School of Social Work, Starbucks, and Philanthropy Northwest among others. We were aided by Avarna’s DEI Statement Worksheet. We are also in the process of consulting with external experts including Tribal representatives and leaders of other groups as well as TNC’s internal Global DEI team.
Q: What other environmental nonprofits have an equity statement? What other organizations have equity statement?
There are many environmental nonprofits and organizations with public facing equity statements and commitments to diversity. Some notable organizations include:
Environmental Nonprofits
Private Corporations
Foundations & Philanthropic Organizations
Local and Municipal Governments
