At Energy Foundation, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are top organizational commitments. Systemic racism is ubiquitous in our society. It is our responsibility to work to actively uproot it and create equitable systems that support people to flourish. Recognizing the interconnected nature of all forms of oppression, we continually assess and adjust our work and our behaviors to address societal needs with the ultimate goal of dismantling all forms of oppression.
On a day-to-day basis, we create spaces to reflect, learn, unlearn, heal, practice, make mistakes, repair, and grow. We’re working to interrupt harmful behaviors and strive to bring humility, transparency, respect, and an appreciation for others’ lived experiences to our interactions both internally and in our relationships with our grantees and partners.
We have much to learn about living our values as we strategize, partner with funders and grantees, and serve the field. A commitment to ending racism and other forms of oppression is a commitment to action. We will be transparent in sharing our actions and what we learn as we continue on this journey, working to hold ourselves accountable and invite you to hold us accountable as well.
Below, we describe what we mean by equity, inclusion, and diversity at Energy Foundation and how we are working to operationalize them.
- Equity: We understand that biases, obstacles, and historically unjust barriers must be removed to ensure everyone is resourced and supported to thrive, based on where they are and where they want to go. A just and equitable future requires that we build authentic, inclusive, transformative relationships while committing resources to partners and communities to increase access and support self-determination and leadership in marginalized communities.
- Inclusion: We welcome and value all people as their authentic selves in a safe, open, and respectful environment, without fear of discrimination, retaliation, or judgment, so all may contribute meaningfully to our shared successes. To be inclusive, we must confront our biases and privileges and work to create an environment that encourages meaningful contribution and collaboration among our teams, partners, and networks.
- Diversity: Diversity includes race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, ability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, tribe, socio-economic status, age, native language, education, culture, background, and communication styles, and other characteristics that do not necessarily fit within the dominant culture. We seek diversity at all levels of our organization and within our networks, to achieve meaningful representation of our varied identities and differences, rooted in a fundamental respect for individuals and their unique life experiences and a recognition that diversity enriches our work and our experiences.
Much remains to be done to secure the clean and equitable energy future we need to tackle the climate crisis. We welcome the input of people already doing this work, of those who wish to work together, and of others in the field who could benefit from what we’ve learned so far in this vital work.