After many years of discussion by the board on the need for more overt action and a position on diversity, in early 2014, board member, Baljit Wadhwa, led the creation of a Diversity Subcommittee, as an offshoot of the Governance Committee. The Subcommittee was to begin integrating the topic of diversity more formally in strategic and program planning. In spring of that year, Green 2.0 released their seminal report “The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations: Mainstream NGOs, Foundations & Government Agencies.” The most comprehensive report on diversity in the environmental movement, it detailed a “green ceiling,” systemic biases, and lackluster interest by environmental organizations in addressing the diversity problem.  

The established and dedicated Board-level Subcommittee helped make the link between the report’s findings and the work of River Network. However, it was not always a clear or easy path, with other issues competing for leadership’s prioritization. For example, the Subcommittee was reshaped to a Diversity Working Group, with the same leadership and agenda but without “committee” status. Nevertheless, over the next two years the Diversity Working Group focused first on the development of panels and speakers River Rally 2014 and 2015, followed by more strategic and long-lasting initiatives such as development of River Network’s Vision Statement on DEI and the development of a set of DEI Principles for River Network members. 

 “The combination of having a Diversity Committee/Working Group and the release of Green 2.0’s report on the State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations was a watershed moment for River Network too; the organization couldn’t keep avoiding the issue now.”

– Baljit Wadhwa, past River Network Board Member