Every program policy impacts different communities in different ways. A decision that makes a process more streamlined for one customer segment might introduce more difficulties for another. To serve as many communities as possible, a program must consider the repercussions of every decision, no matter how insignificant it seems.
In 2020, the OR-MEP program team resolved to better serve customers experiencing racism and inequality by making the following commitments:
- Be actively anti-racist
- Equitably serve the people of Oregon, especially customers with the greatest need
- Disrupt systems that maintain inequality, within the energy industry and beyond
- Make purposeful change toward these ends
With these commitments front of mind in all OR-MEP activities, decisions are better aligned with the program’s mission of supporting the energy-efficient design of new and existing affordable multifamily properties and serve as a guidepost to doing better going forward.
The OR-MEP program team strives to continuously improve their approach, understanding that they won’t always get it right the first time. This work is not linear and requires continuous improvement. It can take different directions as the team evaluates the outcomes of program changes and new needs emerge.