Our ocean and coasts are public spaces and we believe that access to healthy and clean coasts and a vibrant ocean should be for the benefit of all people. But around the world, too many people have been excluded, disproportionately impacted, and not welcomed to our coasts. These people have been disenfranchised from decisionmaking about these shared resources.
For over four decades, Surfrider has fought for the protection and enjoyment of our coasts and ocean for all people through active engagement, but we fell short in proactively welcoming and empowering everyone to be part of our organization.
To address this shortcoming, Surfrider seeks to infuse the principles of Environmental Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) into every aspect of our work.
With JEDI principles ingrained in our work, Surfrider will become a more just and powerful organization. Diversifying our network of activists and integrating the perspectives of underserved communities helps us gain the knowledge and power to better protect the environment.
We must make these changes to further and improve the work of Surfrider and share equitably in the wealth, joy and benefits of healthy and vibrant coastal communities. To achieve that outcome, we will pursue:
For 35 years, the Surfrider Foundation has focused on grassroots organizing in communities across the U.S. to ensure that everyone has a voice when it comes to protecting and enjoying our coasts. A core tenet of our work has been to ensure the ocean, waves and beaches are safe and accessible to all people.
We are making the following commitments to elevate Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) in our work, both internally and externally. We will measure our progress and incorporate milestones into our annual report in order to hold ourselves accountable.