Media Contact

Danielle Bell

SENIOR PROGRAM MANAGER FOR MEDIA RELATIONS

media@greenlining.org danielle.bell@greenlining.org

Contact:
Bruce Mirken, Greenlining Institute Media Relations Director, 415-846-7758 (cell)
Sona Mohnot, Greenlining Institute Senior Policy Analyst and Program Manager, 504-377-7594

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – With climate change and environmental justice rising higher on the national agenda and startup companies bringing new ideas into the cleantech arena at an accelerating pace, The Greenlining Institute has released a guidebook designed to help these emerging companies address issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.

“Communities of color have disproportionately borne the burdens of pollution and climate change, and we need to ensure that they reap the full benefits of the growing clean energy economy,” said report co-author Parwana Ayub, Greenlining Institute Environmental Equity Fellow. “Cleantech startups will play a critical role in this economy, and we want to help them be as welcoming as possible to a diverse workforce and diverse customers.”

The guide, Building a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Cleantech Industry, was inspired by Greenlining’s ongoing work with companies participating in the California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development Initiative, or CalSEED. It includes sections covering:

  • Definitions of diversity, equity and inclusion
  • The moral and business cases for diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Increasing workforce and leadership diversity
  • Creating an inclusive workplace culture
  • Promoting accessible cleantech products and services

“Early stage companies may have a small staff, limited resources and no formal HR department, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make progress on diversity, equity and inclusion,” said report co-author Sona Mohnot, senior policy analyst and program manager for Greenlining’s Environmental Equity team. “We hope this guide will give them the tools they need to get started.”

To learn more about The Greenlining Institute, visit www.staging3.greenlining.org.