Marine Conservation Institute is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice as we pursue our work to save wild ocean places for us and for future generations. This organizational statement explains how we define diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice and the values that guide our work. It serves as the foundation for our DEIJ Action Plans.[i]

Diversity is the representation of all our identities and differences, collectively and as individuals, including (but not limited to) differences across race, ethnicity, gender identity, ability, sexuality, education, and other demographic factors, as well as diversity in lived experience, history, beliefs, and ways of thinking.

Equity is allocating resources across different identities (with different advantages and barriers) to ensure everyone has similar and effective access to the same opportunities.

Inclusion is an active practice of inviting and amplifying diverse perspectives and voices by intentionally creating space, acknowledging unequal power in relationships, making appropriate accommodations to enable people to meaningfully participate, and centering those who have been excluded.

Justice is ensuring equity by constructing systems that ensure benefits, burdens, rights, and responsibilities are fairly attributed to each person, while dismantling inequitable social, economic, and political frameworks to achieve spaces that are fair, inclusive, and respectful of diversity.

Organizational Statement

Humankind depends on a biodiverse ocean. Everyone deserves a voice in the marine conservation community. Marine Conservation Institute recognizes that all people and communities, particularly those that have been historically but also contemporarily marginalized, are essential to our mission of protecting the ocean for those of us on the planet now, and for future generations. Marginalized communities are facing the earliest and most intense impacts of the biodiversity and climate crises, yet these communities have faced systemic disadvantages that restricted their opportunities to engage, participate, and lead in marine science and conservation. We acknowledge the historical and present-day inequities and injustices pervasive in the field of marine conservation.

Equity and justice are integral to effective marine conservation. We envision a future in which our thriving biodiverse ocean benefits a diverse human population that is fully involved in and committed to marine conservation. We commit to work with intent and care to build and support an inclusive and diverse marine conservation community within our own organization, through our programs, and through our collaborations. We aim to foster equitable and just marine conservation efforts through all of our work. We commit to continuing to learn and deepen our understanding of how to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, and we commit to developing and implementing an annual strategy of concrete activities aligned with these values.

[i] We gratefully acknowledge the Packard Foundation and the J.E.D.I Collaborative, whose thoughtful definitions and guidance we consulted and borrowed from in developing our own.