Sustainability: Our Environment, Social and Guiding Principles

At Dogs for Better Lives, we’re not just committed to our mission of professionally training and placing Assistance Dogs with people throughout the U.S.; we recognize our greater responsibility to care for our community and our planet.

WE ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY MINDFUL

We are committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As part of that commitment, we have adopted various initiatives and in-house changes that govern our everyday business to be more environmentally friendly.

  • We’re reducing waste through our recycling efforts, and by choosing washable plates, cups and utensils in the office.
  • We take pride in a nearly paperless office: we refrain from printing documents as often as possible.
  • We’re working towards becoming completely digital: most of our communications, documents, invoices, receipts, and contracts are conducted online.
  • We’ve installed motion-sensor lights in most offices and training areas
  • We’re converting our facility maintenance carts to solar energy to further reduce our carbon pawprint.
  • We’ve installed a 306-panel, 97.9 kW solar array on our campus that will produce more than 75% of the organization’s energy needs, saving more than $28,000 each year, thanks to a Pacific Power Blue Sky 2020 funding award.

    • WE ARE SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

    Dogs for Better Lives is building a lasting and supportive social environment for our employees, suppliers and communities. We are creating positive changes in our workforce and in the local communities where we work and the way we do business there.

  • Where possible, our employees are able to work remotely to promote better work+life balance.
  • Our employees are actively engaged in improving life at DBL through participation in Green and Safety Teams.
  • We’re working towards locally sourcing more of our suppliers to support the communities where we work.
  • We’re engaging our communities in celebrating our accomplishments and growth.
  • We’re recognized as one of the Best 100 Nonprofits to Work For in Oregon.

    • WE ARE GUIDED BY OUR VALUES

    We manage our organization in a manner that coincides with our values, addresses opportunities and risks, and takes into account the long-term interests of our employees, dogs, clients, volunteers, donors, suppliers and communities we serve.

     

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