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Fairness, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity

The Role of Fairness, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity in Our Work

Justice for All Communities = Justice for the River

Globally, extractive economies disproportionately harm and target communities because of inequities that have been created, preserved, and exploited by socioeconomic systems, often referred to as Environmental Justice communities.

Recognizing this, DRN strives for Fairness, Inclusion, and Equal Opportunity. In the pursuit of Environmental Justice, we work to ensure that all communities have access to a clean and healthy environment regardless of social, economic, or cultural characteristics including, but not limited to, race, ethnicity, culture, tribal affiliation, immigration status, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, native language, age, education level, ability, or income. As we engage with our communities, we listen, we learn, we identify common ground, and we take action collectively.

We Will Work to Uplift Our Communities so All Voices Are Heard 

To accomplish this, we will make intentional efforts to reach out to Environmental Justice communities who often have greater hurdles to participate, but will especially benefit through collaboration with the Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and we will support their leadership in decisionmaking as a way to combat the power imbalance that exists in our society.

In this way, we best protect the River, now and for generations to come. We are committed to: 

  • Opening up opportunities for staff, volunteers, and community members to engage,
  • Partnering with communities and supporting their development of leadership on shared issues,
  • Advocating for policies and practices that address and respond to systemic inequities.

Community Committee

To achieve these goals, our Community Committee, works to promote fairness and inclusion within our organization, to advise on practices related to the recruitment and retention of experienced staff and volunteers, and to build into our work transformative efforts that recognize bias, and promote fairness within the communities we engage.