Human Diversity in The Nature Conservancy and Its Implications for Conservation: A First Look
Abstract
Population demographics in the United States are rapidly changing, and increasing
workplace diversity will become crucial for the survival of many environmental organizations.
Although The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global organization and employs many people
in different countries, it is also interested in increasing ethnic diversity in its
offices in the United States. The purpose of this study is to look at ethnic diversity
in TNC offices in the U.S., examine diversity challenges and successes at other environmental
organizations, and provide suggestions for increasing the ethnic diversity in TNC.
My specific research objectives are to determine (1) why people of color are underrepresented
in the environmental field, (2) what makes TNC attractive or unattractive to people
of color, (3) what the current relationship is between employees at TNC who represent
communities of color and those who do not, (4) how TNC can engage more people of color,
and (5) what TNC can do to improve retention of employees representing communities
of color.
I reviewed the literature on the demographics of the conservation movement, the history
of people of color and the environment, and the challenges and successes other fields
have had in trying to increase workplace diversity. I interviewed TNC employees,
TNC high school and college interns, and employees at other environmental organizations
to gather their opinions on how to enhance employee diversity in the environmental
field. Suggestions for increasing and retaining diversity at TNC included short-term
and long-term techniques to increase diversity. Short-term recommendations included
active, rather than informal, recruiting, and better advertising of the wide variety
of careers available at TNC. Long-term suggestions included increased outreach through
a sequence of volunteer programs and internships involving students from elementary
through post-secondary education, and fostering an inclusive atmosphere at TNC to
attract more employees of color and improve employee retention. I conclude that a
combination of both long term and short term techniques is best to increase diversity.
The data will be used to inform TNC’s fledgling diversity initiative in the United
States.
Type
Master's projectPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/493Citation
Chattulani, Yumiko (2008). Human Diversity in The Nature Conservancy and Its Implications for Conservation:
A First Look. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/493.Collections
More Info
Show full item record
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Rights for Collection: Nicholas School of the Environment
Works are deposited here by their authors, and represent their research and opinions, not that of Duke University. Some materials and descriptions may include offensive content. More info