In 2014, “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations: Mainstream NGOs, Foundations & Government Agencies,” is the most comprehensive report on the lack of diversity in the
mainstream environmental movement to date. The report found that despite being over 30% of the US population and supporting environmental protections at higher rates than whites, on average people of color have not broken the 16% “green ceiling” in the environmental organizations surveyed. Non-profit boards were only 5% people of color. Unconscious bias, discrimination, and insular recruiting were identified as the top three reasons why leaders of color face barriers to hiring and retention in the mainstream movement. How do we move forward?
Transparency & Data
Data and benchmarks and data inspire progress. Green 2.0 partnered with GuideStar and D5 Coalition to create sector-wide standards for how data on diversity is collected, and help nonprofits and foundations evaluate of the impact of their work and hold themselves accountable to their goals.
Stimulating Demand
Hosting solutions focused forums, Green 2.0 mainstream and grassroots environmental leaders together to share best practices. A series of ‘sold out’ “Breaking the Green Ceiling” briefings, headlined by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and Philanthropist Tom Steyer, highlight the demand for an ethnically diverse environmental sector.
Demonstrating Supply
In 2015, Green 2.0 embarked on a “3R” – Readiness, Recruitment, Retention – initiative to address the oft-misunderstood “supply of talent” challenges at the executive level, where the problem is the most acute. Green 2.0 will also serve as a hub for bringing diversity/inclusion and search experts together with Green Group executives to learn and share best practices.
