Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
We are committed to the hard work required to drive the change we want to see in our world
We help our clients and partners develop and implement solutions to complicated, often controversial problems—big and small, global and local. As we pursue our mission, we will center justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within Meridian and in our projects, recognizing we can influence decisions, policies, and systems through our processes. We will take risks, welcome discomfort, and commit to allocating resources and time to challenge the status quo that continues to perpetuate social, racial, environmental, and economic injustices.
Our actions and decisions, internally and externally, will be informed by these Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Principles. These principles work together to enable us to inform and guide our decisions and drive towards achieving our mission of building sustainable, robust, and resilient solutions to the world’s most complex problems. We also commit to the journey of growth and learning that comes with the implementation of these Principles and to revising them on a periodic basis.
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Principles
We pride ourselves on our ability to design and deliver collaboration that brings people together—specifically, a wide range of individuals who understand the issues from different angles and have a shared stake in their resolution. Diverse perspectives are foundational to our work, organization, and field. We bring integrity, inclusiveness, and respect for differences to every project we undertake.
We will elevate the voices and perspectives of people that are oppressed, vulnerable, and marginalized. We will not assume we know what is best for the people involved in or affected by our collaborative processes or our internal decision-making, but rather advance actions that further power-sharing. We will not use one-size-fits-all processes and we will also meet people where they are, recognizing that there are structures that exist beyond the ones we operate in.
We will proactively address justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion within Meridian and in our projects. We will be mindful of our role as conveners and bring justice*, equity*, diversity*, and inclusion* into our collaborative processes and internal decision-making. In our projects and organizational policies, we will look at shortcomings and successes of our past and commit to a lifelong journey of learning and action. We realize that integrating justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work and organization is not just about implementing new systems, but dismantling systems that continue to perpetuate injustice.
We will promote transparency and accountability both internally and externally at all levels of the organization through metrics and evaluation. We will also hold ourselves accountable for our justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion goals and actively connect our work to advance them. We will own our flaws and take steps to address unconscious bias and institutional ‘isms’ going forward.
We will support a culture of humility and learning. We will support staff in building their knowledge and skills justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We know success requires risks, mistakes, and growth. We will commit time and resources to this work – both internally and externally – and accept failure as an opportunity for learning and improvement.
We will work together and support each other as we continue this journey of learning and growth. We will appreciate, celebrate, and value the diversity of our staff, partners, and participants and understand the value this provides to our work and organization.
JEDI Case Studies
Our JEDI Case Studies represent the tangible infusion of our JEDI Principles into Meridian's project work. More than organizational values and a firm commitment, these Principles have diverse applications in our work that have critical impact. Our people-centered approach helps Lacuna Fund develop local solutions that are grounded in community priorities. Our adaptive approach to local engagement allows the Indonesia Marine Funders Collaboration to evolve its current grantmaking strategy to meet current needs. Explore our JEDI Case Studies below to better understand the intersections of our work with Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
Unlocking the Benefits of AI for All
Meridian facilitates and manages Lacuna Fund, the world’s first collaborative effort to provide data scientists, researchers, and social entrepreneurs in low- and middle-income contexts globally with the resources they need to produce datasets that address urgent problems in their communities.