Northwest Center’s Vision for a Sustainable World: Mission and Business for People and PlanetSustainability is at the heart of Northwest Center, who we are, what we do, and our commitment to working toward an inclusive and sustainable world. From our beginning, people and planet have defined our mission, and our social enterprise businesses that sustain it. As a nonprofit, our mission is to promote the growth, development, and independence of people with disabilities through education, therapy, and work opportunity. Our five social enterprise businesses sustain this work.
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Driving Sustainability Since 1967In 1965, our first business, The Big Blue Truck, was among the first to embrace the circular sustainable economy, collecting and selling used clothing to generate revenue for programs for people with disabilities. This model established a commitment to sustainability that has grown ever since.
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Integrating Change Throughout Northwest Center
As Northwest Center grew over the last half century, it integrated sustainability into the five pillars that now define it:
our people, partnerships, operations, governance, and impact in our communities.
our people, partnerships, operations, governance, and impact in our communities.
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People |
Partnerships |
Operations |
Governance |
Community |
Our Commitment is Captured in
Northwest Center’s Ten Sustainability Goals
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Create a more equitable world for all by working to eliminate ableism and create equity for people with disabilities
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Advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
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Advocate for our mission in local, state, and federal governments, as well as in the community
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Evaluate environmental elements of our businesses and move toward sustainable consumption and production
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Maintain a culture of continuous improvement and growth
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Ensure Northwest Center complies with state and federal environmental policies and create best practices that go beyond the polices
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Work with suppliers to adopt Northwest Center’s sustainability policy and other relevant policies
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Educate staff about the sustainability policy and encouraging adoption of its ideas and spirit
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Ensure sustainability goals are documented in strategic plans and actively implemented, reviewed, and improved
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Accountability through the Northwest Center board, who provide oversight and govern the execution of Northwest Center including our sustainability commitment
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Working in partnership with team members, clients, communities, customers, policymakers, and suppliers we are committed to achieving our sustainability commitments and vision of an inclusive, equitable and sustainable world.
Gene Boes, CEO
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Tess Connor, CGO
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