Mission, Vision & Goals - Civil Rights & Environmental Justice
Mission:
The Office for Civil Rights, Enforcement & Environmental Justice is committed to the work of protecting and restoring the environment. We believe that thoughtful incorporation of civil rights and environmental justice principals and objectives with the work of each Region 10 office will help achieve environmental protection objectives. Therefore in all aspects of our work with individuals, employees, and communities our mission is to strengthen and increase Region 10's collective will and sustained commitment to:
- uphold the law, policies, and order of our civil rights, civil service, and environmental justice programs
- value and utilize diversity both within the regional office and as we work with our "external" customers
- demonstrate the principals of fairness and equity
Vision
Region 10 employees and the broad community that we serve are being treated fairly and equitably in accordance with expectations as stated in the law and in our civil rights, civil service, and environmental justice policies.
OCREJ is a key, visible contributor to Region 10's work of protecting and restoring the environment because it plays a major role in ensuring that:
- Region 10 meet its commitment to individual rights, community rights and employee rights.
- People and groups bridge their differences and move toward resolution of issues.
- Region 10's employees and partners understand the value of diversity and how to use it to help accomplish environmental work.
People confidently use civil rights and environmental justice processes for appeal and resolution of equity and fairness issues because:
- they understand the processes,
- they trust the people administering the process.
There has been an intentional increase of diversity in all levels of Region 10's work force due to increased appreciation for the benefits of diversity by most employees.
All performance dialogues in Region 10 include progress indicator discussions about civil rights and environmental justice work addressing one or more of the following:
- how civil rights and environmental justice work contributes to their primary office activities,
- changes in their office's staff and management profile,
- the use of prescribed civil rights processes for advertising, recruiting, selecting and promoting employees.
OCREJ is working collaboratively with each Region 10 Office to align Office goals and OCREEJ goals.
OCREJ is innovative and is able and willing to refocus itself to best support Region 10's offices to accomplish civil rights and environmental justice work.
Goals
- Develop, implement and commit to a comprehensive strategy to integrate civil rights and environmental justice principles, goals and processes into the Region's daily work.
- Enhance Region 10's work by intentionally increasing:
- diversity in the Region 10 organization,
- the perceived value of diversity, and
- the utilization of diversity.
- Increase the utilization of civil rights and environmental justice learning activities and processes so that problems are prevented and issues are resolved.
- Increase environmental justice communities' access to EPA so that there is greater public involvement and informed participation in environmental protection decision making.
- Increase, in other agencies and tribal governments, the awareness and implementation of civil rights and environmental justice laws, principles, and goals.
- Develop and maintain a measurement system to help Region 10 and its offices track their civil rights and environmental justice work progress.