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April 22, 2015
OVER 25 TOP ENVIRONMENTAL ADVOCACY NONPROFITS AND 9 TOP FOUNDATIONS SUBMIT DIVERSITY DATA TO GUIDESTAR; GREEN 2.0 ANNOUNCES ON EARTH DAY
Ford Foundation joins foundations sharing data as Bullitt Foundation President Denis Hayes and Green 2.0 call on foundations and green organizations to submit Diversity Data
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Over 25 of the leading environmental advocacy organizations in the United States submitted their employee and board diversity information to the first-of-its-kind data transparency platform on GuideStar, Green 2.0 announced on a press call on Earth Day. Green 2.0, GuideStar and D5 – who designed the diversity data questionnaire – applauded all of the foundations and organizations that submitted their data, as it is a sign of commitment towards improving diversity at all levels at their respective institutions. Across the entire nonprofit sector, over 1,000 nonprofits submitted diversity data. Within the environmental sector, over fifty nonprofits and over twenty five foundations submitted diversity data.
However, 18 of the nation’s largest mainstream environmental advocacy organizations have so far declined to disclose their diversity numbers to the GuideStar exchange. Bullitt Foundation President Denis Hayes, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget for the U.S. Department of Interior Kari Sarri, and Green 2.0 called on all of the leading environmental foundations and organizations who have not submitted data to do so, and embrace transparency and diversity.
Green 2.0’s call to track diversity data followed the July 2014 release by Green 2.0 of the most comprehensive and widely-covered report on diversity in the green sector, “Diversity in Environmental Institutions” report, commissioned from Professor Dorceta Taylor. The widely publicized report found that although people of color are now almost 40% of the U.S. population, they have not broken the 16% “green ceiling” in mainstream environmental organizations, foundations, and governmental agencies.
“To continue to build a strong and just environmental movement, it is critical that we improve diversity among its leaders. I commend the organizations and foundations that have committed to openness and transparency on diversity and submitted their diversity data,” said Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D – AZ). “However, it is troubling that some Green organizations and the foundations that support them have not taken this initial step towards a more diverse sector. Diversifying Green organizations and foundations will make them more effective in addressing current and future environmental challenges. The Green movement and the country’s people of color deserve nothing less.”
The call for data transparency has been echoed over the past few months by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, and Investor, Philanthropist and Advanced Energy Advocate Tom Steyer at Green 2.0 events on both the East and West Coasts. The Presidents of The Ford Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund and Bullitt Foundations encouraged their peers and grantees to join them in sharing data as well on their GuideStar profiles.
“The Bullitt Foundation was quick to embrace the chance to participate in this groundbreaking initiative by Green 2.0, GuideStar and D5 to track data at scale, and we strongly encourage our peers to join as well. We are all most likely to improve the things that we measure,” said Bullitt Foundation President Denis Hayes. “The Bullitt Foundation recognizes the urgent need to genuinely diversify the mainstream movement, not with symbols and tokens but by making it relevant to all people. At its birth, the environmental movement was a big tent, welcoming to all who shared its basic commitment to a healthy, resilient, equitable, peaceful future. We need to return to those roots.”
In addition to showing who submitted data, the Green 2.0 infographic shared on Earth Day also notes the steps organizations and foundations have taken to improve their diversity internally, especially at the management levels. Concrete efforts such as diversity committees, diversity managers, and diversity plans are illustrated. While Green 2.0 highlighted the twenty eight leading green advocacy NGOS in the infographic, we applaud the many smaller organizations who also submitted data.
“For the first time, anyone can go online and look at an organization’s diversity profile on GuideStar, and we can start establishing a baseline from which to measure progress. The commitment to transparency is critical to accelerate the decades-long effort to have an inclusive green movement. Green 2.0 applauds first-movers that have heeded the call to embrace transparency and do their partto improve the diversity of the environmental movement,” said Green 2.0 Director Danielle Deane.
Robert Raben, the founder and President of Green 2.0, added, “We urge the organizations and foundations who have not submitted data to submit in the next two months – tracking data is a basic first step, whether you are trying to solve climate disruption or diversity. We celebrate today’s progress, but we have work to do and we haven’t truly won until this movement is truly diverse and inclusive.”
| Leading foundations that have submitted diversity data on GuideStar, include : |
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William and Flora Hewlett Foundation The California Endowment Ford Foundation Kresge Foundation Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fresno Regional Foundation Wilburforce Foundation Meyer Memorial Trust The Bullitt Foundation |
Leading environmental advocacy organizations that HAVE NOT submitted their diversity data to GuideStar, include :
Leading environmental advocacy organizations that HAVE PLEDGED but not yet submitted their diversity data to GuideStar, include :
*Organization reports that it does not collect the data. †Organization has pledged to submit their diversity data to GuideStar. |
Leading environmental advocacy organizations that HAVE submitted their diversity to GuideStar, include :
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Follow Green 2.0. on Twitter and Facebook. Here is a link to infographic: http://bit.ly/1OeTroJ
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Quotes in Support of Diversity Data Collection Effort:
Additional statements of support are available at diversegreen.org/talking-about-data
Darren Walker, President, Ford Foundation @darrenwalker
“As an organization rooted in the pursuit of social justice we know how critical the diversity of our staff and board is, both in representation and perspective. Recognizing and achieving this goal can be two separate matters and we have work to be done. We must recognize and celebrate diversity as a strength in all that we do and I am pleased to join this effort by D5, Green 2.0 and GuideStar to bring transparency and urgency to this front. Stepping forward as a sector to address where we can improve on matters of diversity will allow us to learn from one another and improve our organizations.”
Larry Kramer, President, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation @Hewlett_Found
“The Hewlett Foundation is pleased to make our diversity data available as part of our commitment to transparency and openness in the philanthropic sector. By contributing to this effort led by Green 2.0, GuideStar, and D5, we hope to help establish a baseline of information from environmental funders and NGOs that better informs the important work of building more inclusive organizations and strengthening our collective impact.”
Rip Rapson, President and CEO, The Kresge Foundation @riprapson
“The Kresge Foundation has long believed that nonprofit organizations are more effective in achieving their missions when their board and staff members are reflective of the populations they serve. Kresge applauds all the organizations that have demonstrated their commitment to address diversity by adding their data to their GuideStar profiles. We encourage our grantees and our fellow philanthropic organizations to participate in this voluntary data-collection effort by GuideStar, D5, and Green 2.0.”
David Yarnold, President and CEO, National Audubon Society @davidyarnold
“What matters is not what we say – what matters is what we do. Audubon was pleased to heed to call from Green 2.0 to make our diversity data transparent on our GuideStar profile. We look forward to seeing environmental foundations and fellow Green Groups share their data. Establishing a baseline of diversity data and tracking progress is crucial.”
Scott Miller, President, Resource Media @RMScottM
“Filling out the GuideStar survey is the easy part. We know we have a long way to go. Being transparent about that is an important first step toward making real change. Kudos to all the other organizations who are participating.”
Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund
“Founded by scientists, EDF understands the power of data to inform and catalyze change. The GuideStar survey gives us the opportunity to share progress on EDF’s diversity strategy, and helps hold us accountable to our commitments. While we have increased the representation of people of color in our organization, we must continue to work hard to reflect the environmental values of all sectors of society. This is the only way to fully achieve our mission.”
Trip Van Noppen, President, Earthjustice
“Earthjustice is grateful to Green2.0, Guidestar, and the D5 Coalition for prompting nonprofits generally, and the environmental sector in particular, to publish board and staff demographic data. Ambitious goals, transparency about progress, and accountability for results are crucial. Providing the platform for disclosure is an essential piece of this work. We are happy to participate in this effort and to encourage others to do so.”
Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
“The Sierra Club is proud to support the Green 2.0 effort now and in the months and years to come. We are committed to taking a hard look at what our own organization needs to do to ensure that the environmental movement includes everyone who cares about clean air and clean water. That’s why it’s so important to be transparent about where we are and how far we have to go.”
Kierán Suckling, Executive Director, Center for Biological Diversity
“The Center for Biological Diversity deeply values, and is committed to sustaining and promoting diversity both in the workplace and the world. The embrace of human diversity, like the embrace of biological diversity, is not only a matter of tolerance, fairness, and moral duty; it is a matter of love. We love, and wish to sustain, the astounding variety of human beings and cultures that has arisen on this planet over untold thousands of years.”
“We believe there is not only an intrinsic link between protecting the diversity of the Earth’s cultures, languages, plants, and animals, but between that work and having a staff diverse in gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and socio-economic background.”
“Diversity in all forms, and a profound respect for the multiple possibilities and perspectives that such diversity offers, enables and inspires powerful, creative work. Only such work can meet the challenges of complex and far-reaching global crises such as extinction, climate change and cultural oppression. We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion within our organization, the environmental movement and the world at large, and believe diversity reporting is positive new step to bring about needed changes.”
Jamie Rappaport Clark, President and CEO, Defenders of Wildlife
“Defenders of Wildlife is a national, non-profit membership organization dedicated to the protection of all native wild animals and plants in their natural communities. Our employees work in an environment that is inclusive and honors each of our unique perspectives and backgrounds. We believe that the conservation of biological diversity is best advanced by the contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, beliefs and cultures. We look forward to working with Green 2.0 and our colleagues to strengthen our collective goal of including all people in the conservation of our Nation’s wildlife and wild places.”
Ken Kimmell, President, The Union of Concerned Scientists
“The Union of Concerned Scientists values data and transparency as critical tools for problem solving on any issue, diversity included. UCS has thus welcomed the call by Green 2.0, GuideStar and D5 to share diversity data, since tracking data at scale, is long overdue. We are committed to helping the partnership improve data collection and encourage all environmental organizations to be part of the solution so that the sector can rigorously assess how our efforts are making a difference.”
