What values guide all of our work at the Institute on the Environment? In 2016, we decided to formally articulate the ideals we share and standards we hold ourselves to as a community. The result is our IonE Way. At its heart is our solutions-driven, make-progress mindset: our commitment to build up each other, the institute, and ourselves. Six core values anchor this way of working. We value:

Taking risks. Reaching for great heights requires stretching, and change is challenging; we believe in taking risks when the potential impact is high.

Practicing leadership. Leadership is not a talent or a gift; it’s a capacity we’re committed to continuously growing in ourselves and others, for the benefit of all.

Collaborating and communicating. Powerful opportunities for progress exist if we collaborate, co-create and share ideas across boundaries, bringing together business, government, nonprofits, academia, and other sectors.

Embracing teamwork and diversity. The kind of impact we aspire to have in the world can be realized only when research and partnerships are inclusive and harness the value of all humans.

Measuring what matters. What’s easy to measure is not always what’s meaningful. We embrace the challenge of accounting for complex outcomes – and redefining the metrics of success.

Honoring varied paths. IonE is not a one-way street; we’re an intersection – a place where many different people come together in a common pursuit. In turn, we value our people as individuals, each with their own aspirations and paths.