Trivers successfully renewed its Just Label, a voluntary disclosure tool for organizations that provides a guide to creating meaningful policies and ensuring those policies turn into actions that generate increasing levels of positive impact over time.
“Participating in the Just Label process increases our awareness of how we are performing on certain aspects and gives transparency to our team,” said Trivers Principal Amy Gilbertson, FAIA, LEED GA. “It shows what we are doing well and opportunities for improvement.”
Issued by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the label requires reporting on six organization- and employee-related social justice indicators: Diversity, Inclusion, Compensation, Health, Benefits, and Stewardship. Compared to Trivers’ last Just Label obtained in 2022, the firm’s latest Just Label shows significant gains in areas such as ethnic diversity and inclusion, physical health, family/medical leave, and stewardship of local communities.
“Our new label reveals that our efforts are paying off,” said Ashley Hoolihan, AIA, LEED GA, Trivers project manager and associate. “It is nice to reflect on how much we have progressed in areas like physical health. With a focus on promoting an active lifestyle, Trivers’ Community Committee has been organizing monthly yoga sessions, hikes, bike rides and more, which contributed to the jump in some of our scores.”
In addition to strengths, the Just Label reporting and renewal process also helps reveal opportunities for improvement.
“We have come a long way from when we received our first Just Label five years ago,” said Becky Gale, Trivers operations administrator and associate. “It inspired us to make improvements to processes such as hiring and promotion, which led to boosts in indicators like ethnic diversity and inclusion. However, we know there is still work to be done.”
With an ongoing commitment to improving the diversity of its team and creating a more inclusive culture, Trivers began the original certification process in 2019 and became the first company in Missouri to obtain a Just Label. Now it is one of only two companies in St. Louis, three in Missouri, and 166 in the United States that have committed to the Just program.
To share insight into the process of pursuing and leveraging the Just Label, Gilbertson has delivered presentations for the Missouri Gateway Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, the Women in Design + Construction Conference, and the American Institute of Architects Conference on Architecture & Design.
“It is a very helpful tool for any business to consider and improve the impact of their processes, policies and employee handbooks,” Gilbertson said. “It can also attract team members, clients and partners who share your values. It matters to people that we do this.”
