OUR VALUES
Our values guide the way we work together, campaign, and run our organization.
Our Core Values:
The values guiding how we work as a team and collaborate with partners.
-
Champion Change: We seek out, embrace, and get (un)comfortable knowing that if we’re not continuously changing, evolving, and improving, we’re not our most effective in the fight against the climate crisis.
-
Mission Centered: Our people, partners, and daily work are vital to a mission that matters.
-
Toward Social, Economic, Racial, and Climate Justice: We can only achieve true climate justice by achieving social, economic, and racial justice.
-
In It Together. We work openly and collaboratively because it enables us to build relationships, figure things out, and drive forward as a team toward our mission. We celebrate and win as a team.
-
Own It. We hold ourselves accountable for outcomes, good and bad.
-
Everyone is a Leader and an Innovator: Everyone on our team is a leader and innovator, despite their roles and titles.
-
Clean EnergyEveryone deserves access to safe, reliable, and affordable clean energy. Every community deserves to benefit from the clean energy economy, including having access to good, family-sustaining jobs. Clean energy strategies must include a plan to keep workers and communities dependent on gas and other fossil fuels for their livelihoods whole. The jobs created by clean energy strategies in the region must benefit San Diego’s communities of concern.
-
World Class TransitEveryone deserves access to reliable, clean transportation that connects us to jobs, schools, stores, and life’s essentials. Transit-dependent communities—too long forced to bear the burdens of pollution and disinvestment—must be at the center of transportation planning and decision-making.
-
All-Electric BuildingsEveryone deserves to live in safe, healthy homes that run on clean electricity and are free of indoor air pollution and climate-harming natural gas. Building Electrification strategies must prioritize the communities that need the benefits the most and provide the most financial assistance to those with the greatest need. BE policies must include a just transition plan for workers and communities dependent on gas and other fossil fuels for their livelihoods. The jobs created by BE strategies in the region must first benefit San Diego’s communities of concern.
-
ResiliencyEvery community deserves access to clean air and clean water. Investments in resiliency like expanding and tending to our existing tree canopy must first benefit the communities overburdened by air pollution. We must reimagine and rebuild our city’s infrastructure to promote clean air, clean water, and healthy ecosystems. As we rebuild this infrastructure, we must prioritize communities of concern and ensure the creation of good family-sustaining union jobs.
-
Walkable, Bikeable NeighborhoodsHousing is a human right, and everyone deserves quality housing that is affordable and close to life’s essentials, like good schools, jobs, grocery stores, and parks. Every community deserves access to convenient, affordable, and reliable public transportation and safe pedestrian and bike facilities. Our streets aren’t safe until they are safe for everyone. Without a plan to include and protect people with disabilities, BIPOC folks, and LGBTQ+ communities, or a plan to address anti-Black vigilantism, police brutality, and disproportionate policing on our streets and transit systems, our streets can’t be truly safe. Truly inclusive transportation planning must center and uplift these voices, even when it's difficult to hear. San Diego and Orange County can’t be strong, resilient, or sustainable in the face of increased climate disaster without upholding everyone’s right to be sheltered.
-
Equity and JusticeThe communities that have suffered the most from environmental racism and disinvestment must be the FIRST to receive the benefits of the clean energy economy and investments in climate resilience.
While the climate crisis affects all of us, it impacts communities of color first and worst. Climate Action Campaign fights for policies that advance climate justice, equity, and public health.
How Our Values Inform Our Work:
Hiring: To CAC, building a diverse team is not just a value but essential to bringing in different lived experiences and perspectives critical to solving the climate crisis.
​
Communications: CAC is committed to ethical storytelling that educates our audiences on the realities, complexities, and nuances of the issues we advocate for. We strive to paint the picture of a climate-safe future for all and work to ensure that our communications do not reinforce harmful stereotypes or stigmas about social issues or the people affected by them.
​
Policy: CAC collaborates with trusted community-based organizations on campaigns that advance our Five Fights and improve the quality of life within Communities of Concern. We follow the lead of and uplift calls-to-action and policy priorities of partner organizations working to advance racial and social justice. We consult our partners during campaign planning and decision-making to ensure that our policy priorities reflect the community's needs.
​
Philanthropy & Events: The climate and environmental movement is more diverse than ever, but BIPOC and frontline-led organizations continue to be underfunded. CAC acknowledges these disparities and works to center justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in philanthropy by making introductions between climate funders and community organizations, where possible. We also work to identify and share funding opportunities for local governments and place-based organizations through our Monthly Funding Newsletter. Lastly, CAC reserves low-to-no-cost tickets to make our programming accessible to everyone.