Core values: The principles that guide an organization’s behavior. Core values form the foundation on which we perform work and conduct ourselves. To be core, a value must be embodied throughout an organization’s systems, practices, and policies.
Justice: The consistent and systematic fair and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to groups that have been denied such treatment
Equity: The practice of taking action as needed so that equality can be achieved. Examples include providing employee resource groups (groups that support employees with shared identities or goals) or identifying and rectifying systemic compensation issues.
Diversity: the range of human differences. At CIRES these include but are not limited to the CU Protected Classes: race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation, and political philosophy. We recognize that all individuals embody multiple dynamic visible and invisible intersecting and intersectional identities
Inclusion: Organizational practices in which different groups or individuals are accepted and welcomed and treated equally. In an inclusive culture all people feel a sense of belonging and are valued and respected for who they are.
Communities: We use the plural “communities” to recognize that there are multiple overlapping groups of people who work at CIRES and to describe the people we work with through education, service and research
Culture: The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization
Underrepresented groups: An underrepresented group is any group holding identities which are present in lower proportions than occurs in the general population.
Marginalized groups: Any group holding identities which have been systematically excluded from full participation in environmental sciences and scientific research and education.
Partnerships: An arrangement by which two or more parties agree to develop, manage and operate an enterprise and to share equitably in the costs and benefits of the enterprise.
Environmental sciences: We are using environmental science as a shorthand to signify all activity at CIRES, including environmental sciences, geosciences and geophysics, space sciences, social sciences, environmental education, policy, communications, administrative support, and all other related disciplines represented at CIRES.
Environmental research: This is also broadly defined for these purposes and includes research, education and education research, assessments, monitoring, operations, and all other related activities at CIRES.
Indicators: The qualitative and quantitative means by which we assess whether or not we are achieving our goals as anticipated