Sustainability and Social Responsibility at Aspen
Written by Stephanie Tang
Sustainability has become a prominent topic in recent years, with many businesses promoting more sustainable practices to reduce their environmental footprint. Sustainability is generally described as the practice of meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. For many businesses, sustainability has been extended from not only minimizing environmental impacts, but also addressing social responsibility and economic viability to ensure that activities can be sustained over the long term without depleting resources or causing irreparable harm. Sustainability in business has become increasingly important due to growing concerns about climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality.
Aspen promotes all three pillars of sustainability to protect our environment, support social responsibility, and ensure responsible economic growth through our projects, policies, and employee benefits programs.
We are very excited and proud that many of the projects we work on support sustainability. There is an urgent need for renewable energy infrastructure to combat climate change and ensure our ability to have reliable energy sources. Aspen has extensive experience working on various utility-scale solar and transmission projects, and we are currently working on the Pier Wind Terminal Development Project to support the future offshore wind industry on the West Coast. These projects, combined with all other nationwide renewable energy projects, will support a more sustainable future and help transition to clean energy and reduce our carbon footprints.
In addition to addressing environmental sustainability and assisting with balancing energy and climate change needs, Aspen assists clients with environmental justice research and coordination. Environmental justice is the fair and equitable treatment and involvement of all people, regardless of race, color, national origin, or income, having the same right to environmental protections and benefits and involvement in community decision making. Guidance is provided especially on projects in areas with a disproportionately high population of low-income households or populations affected by environmental conditions such as high levels of air pollution or hazardous materials. We help clients make sure they are engaging with all communities in an equitable way by ensuring due diligence during public noticing of projects, listening to their comments and concerns, and presenting alternatives that may result in fewer impacts.
Aspen not only assists with zero-emissions energy projects and environmental justice issues, but also incorporates emissions reduction actions in our operations. Our headquarters office is certified as a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building, incorporating significant measures to reduce our resource usage and environmental impacts. In addition, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Aspenites have quickly adapted to telecommuting, communicating with clients remotely, and holding public meetings virtually. This shift from physical in-person meetings to virtual meetings has allowed us to reduce our carbon emissions from vehicle trips.
Social equity is an important aspect of sustainability, allowing all people of various backgrounds to have equitable access to resources to ensure a good quality of life. This includes addressing issues such as inequality, human rights, and access to education and economic opportunities. That’s why in 2020, Aspen created the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee to develop programs to foster inclusion, celebrate diversity, and provide professional and educational opportunities for all current and future staff. Aspen has added Juneteenth as a company holiday to celebrate our progress, and for staff to find meaningful ways to recognize their part in creating greater justice and equality in our society. Our DEI Committee has worked hard over the past few years to update our mission statement to reflect these values and provide opportunities to underrepresented individuals in our line of work, including the environmental planning, engineering, and life sciences fields. Aspen’s DEI Committee has begun promoting educational and professional opportunities by offering annual scholarships to students involved in fields of study with an environmental emphasis and hiring summer interns interested in exploring environmental career options. Students from traditionally underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. Expanding economic and educational opportunities for these individuals reflects our commitment to environmental justice.
Aspen values social responsibility, demonstrated by our Social Responsibility Program. We encourage staff to contribute to their community by providing one paid day off per calendar year for volunteering activities, such as natural resources conservation, education, and assistance to disabled or low-income individuals. The Social Responsibility Program encourages staff to devote time to social or environmental causes, highlighting our culture of shared values and purpose. This program also offers subsidies for Aspenites who try to decrease their reliance on fossil fuel, such as installing solar rooftops or panels to their homes or purchase a new, all-electric vehicle. These subsidies would financially assist and incentivize Aspenites to make environmentally conscious decisions to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The long-term environmental and cost benefits are realized through reduced carbon emissions and lower energy costs.
Aspen’s culture encompasses all aspects of sustainability and continues to seek opportunities to improve our sustainability efforts. Aspen’s projects, policies, and programs boldly support environmental, social, and economic progress. By incorporating sustainability as a core value of our mission, we are not only creating a better future for ourselves, but also for future generations.