WASHINGTON, D.C. — Environmental organizations, grant-making foundations, and philanthropic organizations have an essential role to play in recognizing environmental injustices and undertaking efforts, internally and externally, to address inequities in environmental policies and outcomes.

The National Wildlife Federation heralded the U.S. House Natural Resources Committee for holding a hearing on this critical issue today and urged Congress and the conservation community to center equity, inclusion, and justice in their work and to support and advance federal policies that address historic and ongoing environmental injustices.

“By holding this hearing, Chairman Grijalva and the committee are underscoring the responsibility that environmental organizations and grantmaking foundations have to address inequities in environmental policies and outcomes,” said Chanté Coleman, vice president for equity and justice at the National Wildlife Federation. “The conservation community, including the National Wildlife Federation, still have a great deal of work to do, ensuring our actions match our intentions. This hearing offers us and Congress an opportunity to not only embrace transparency and accountability, but also to consider whom conservation organizations are representing and how they are authentically partnering with communities of color — because not all advocacy is focused on those most impacted. And it should be, in order to be credible.”