Social Responsibility Policy
WAN’s Social Responsibility Policy
The Women’s Aquatic Network (WAN) is committed to taking actions to support the organization’s goals of:
promoting the role of women, as well as professionals of all gender identities, in marine, coastal, and aquatic affairs;
providing equitable access to the WAN community and programming, and addressing systemic injustices in the aquatic sphere; and
protecting the environment by minimizing our impact and working with our members, partners, vendors, and community to advance responsible environmental practices and continuous improvement.
WAN strives to internalize and implement our social responsibility policy. We encourage our community to hold us accountable to these goals and identify areas where we as an organization need to improve.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Justice
WAN is committed to developing and fostering a community that actively advances diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and justice. The WAN community is composed of individuals with a full spectrum of personal attributes, cultural and socio economic affiliations, and professional statuses. Collectively, these identities inform and shape one’s ways of being and catalyze productivity, much like the way biodiversity catalyzes productivity in the aquatic world.
WAN celebrates the diversity of its membership (including, but not limited to diversity of sector, age, gender identification, heritage), and recognizes the value this diversity brings to our community.
WAN will acknowledge and work to address systemic barriers to diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and justice in our immediate community and broadly in marine, coastal, and aquatic affairs.
WAN will strive to provide equitable access to join our membership and to all WAN programs, resources, honors, and leadership positions, regardless of personal identity, ability, and background.
WAN will work to ensure that our community is a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for all. WAN will cultivate a culture of respect and be open to suggestions as we work towards becoming a stronger organization.
Business Ethics and Transparency
WAN is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and non-profit governance practices in order to maintain excellence in its operations, and to promote confidence in its governance systems.
WAN will conduct its business in an open, honest, and ethical manner.
WAN recognizes the importance of protecting all of our human, financial, physical, informational, social, environmental, and reputational assets.
WAN will communicate its Social Responsibility Policy with our partners, vendors, and suppliers and will work with them to achieve consistency with this policy.
Environmental Sustainability
WAN is committed to environmental protection and stewardship. \WAN recognizes that resource conservation is key to a sustainable environment, and will consider sustainability in its decision-making process.
WAN will strive to use reusable or environmentally-friendly alternatives at WAN-organized programming and functions whenever possible.
WAN will aim to centrally locate its in-person programming and encourage public transit, carpooling, or other transportation options that reduce our carbon/energy footprint.
Community Involvement
WAN strives to promote and advance the role of those who identify as women, as well as all other gender identities, in the marine, coastal, and aquatic community.
WAN will seek out and support women-owned and -operated businesses whenever possible.
WAN will support initiatives in our local communities that celebrate and help to advance women and their marine, coastal, and aquatic careers.
WAN will strive to engage with, and encourage its community to support, other local marine, coastal, and aquatic organizations and support their efforts through financial or in-kind contributions.