"We're thrilled to share our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) statement., which represents over a year of reflective work by the entire board and staff of the organization. What has been, in my opinion, implicit in our work for many years is now explicit. I am particularly proud of the fact that Plant Chicago's DEIB statement makes tangible connections with our mission to cultivate local circular economies. Too often, DEI gets left of out of circular economy conversations. Without being explicit, we risk recreating and reinforcing the same inequities found in our current extractive linear economic system."
Jonathan Pereira. Executive Director
Plant Chicago describes circular economy as a collaborative practice sustained by the local circulation of materials, nutrients, knowledge, and money. Embracing this practice requires us to rethink our current economic system. As we do this, we firmly believe that diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging must be centered.
We operate within a system where socioeconomic, racial, gender, environmental factors create inequitable living conditions. We recognize that sustainability movements can reinforce these disparities. Our goal, therefore, is to challenge the system through:
Local Business Support: Creating sustainable infrastructures that provide economic opportunities for local and often disenfranchised business owners.
Access to Local Food: Tackling inequitable food systems by providing low-income households access to fresh and nutritious food while supporting local food producers.
Education & Knowledge Sharing: Providing a hub for equitable access to sustainability and circular economy education and knowledge sharing.
Waste Diversion: Supporting local economic systems while actively diverting materials from landfills.
Equitable Decarbonization: Working to ensure that low-income households can access benefits from sustainable development, such as renewable energy and building decarbonization.
We acknowledge that people and equity are often left out of conversations about circular economies. In many ways, the concept of circular economies builds on knowledge and practices of indigenous and low-income communities. We will support, include, and elevate these perspectives whenever possible. We want to empower people by co-creating safe spaces where all are welcomed and valued. Collectively, we can cultivate inclusive, circular communities that are beneficial for people and the planet.
This work is a complex endeavor that demands transparency, goal-setting, and the coordination of people, resources, and systems. We will focus our DEIB efforts on our programming, the structure of our organization, and our culture.
Programming: We will align our content with the demographics of those we serve. We have a long-term commitment to the ethnic and racial communities that are historically underserved. Organizational Structure: We are dedicated to attracting, hiring, and retaining a diverse board and staff at all levels, which will contribute to our
goals of reaching diverse audiences. Culture: We are focused on cultivating a culture that embodies inclusivity, safety, and opportunity for our staff and community. Our values must be put into action in our everyday workplace experience.
The organization has formed a committee of staff and board members to track these commitments. We will report on our progress at least on an annual basis. Plant Chicago is committed to enhancing its knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) by leveraging equity strategies, best practices, and partnerships. If you have any questions about our plan, please contact info@plantchicago.org.
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