Changing Tomorrow: Architecture, Equity, and Social Sustainability
Changing Tomorrow is the podcast for real estate developers, architects, workplace strategists, and corporate leaders whose decisions shape the built environment.
Each season tackles a critical, unresolved challenge at the intersection of sustainable design, commercial real estate, corporate strategy, and human performance. We look closely at the friction points where ESG goals and business objectives collide faster than the industry can agree on a path forward.
Through candid conversations with global practitioners, researchers, and cross-industry leaders, we test a fundamental question: can buildings, interior spaces, and organizations be intentionally designed to measurably improve human health, equity, and well-being?
Changing Tomorrow is powered by Liveable, an independent research and advisory organization setting a clearer standard for social value in the built environment. We work with real estate, workplace, and built environment leaders to understand how buildings, products, policies, and business strategies shape people’s lives. Through research, reporting, and strategic advisory, Liveable helps organizations assess human impact, communicate it clearly, and use it to make better decisions.
Changing Tomorrow: Architecture, Equity, and Social Sustainability
JEDI & ESG in Architecture: Building an Equitable Future with Yiselle Santos Rivera
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🔊 In this episode of "Changing Tomorrow," Gayathri, founder of Liveable, sits down with the visionary Yiselle Santos Rivera, a trailblazer in the realm of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) within the architecture and design industry. She delves into the practicalities of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles and how they can be effectively operationalized within organizations and individual projects to foster sustainable, inclusive communities. As a minority in the industry, Yiselle also offers a candid look at her experiences and the systemic challenges she's navigated.
🔑 Key Takeaways:
- Embrace ESG as a holistic approach to design, going beyond sustainability to encompass social impact and governance.
- ESG is a journey, not just a destination, and should be integrated into the daily operations of organizations.
- Understand the critical role of JEDI in creating spaces that reflect diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- JEDI principles are essential in creating equitable and inclusive spaces within the architectural industry.
- Starting with small steps and being comfortable with imperfection can lead to significant change.
- Building a supportive community is crucial for fostering dialogue and action around social equity in design.
📚Resources:
- AIA Guides for Equitable Practice
- "Out in Architecture" book spotlighting LGBTQIA+ voices
- Podcast Article and Transcript
🔗Stay Connected:
Gayathri: LinkedIn
Yiselle Santos Rivera : LinkedIn
This podcast is proudly brought to you by Liveable, an independent social sustainability organization based in California.
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