Work Program Architects successfully renews JUST label
Work Program Architect has earned a JUST 2.0 label, reaffirming its commitment to creating a more equitable and socially just workplace through transparency and accountability.
“Earning our first JUST label in 2022 helped us see exactly where we stand when it comes to social equity in our workplace,” said CEO Mel Price. “But that was just the beginning. This renewal has allowed us to examine where we have made progress and where we are still coming up short. It is humbling and critical to the future of our organization and our industry.”
The label, administered by the International Living Future Institute, requires participants to voluntarily disclose key organization- and employee-related indicators that show progress toward social justice and equity goals.
“Joining the Just movement means becoming part of a vibrant community dedicated to understanding the complexity and interconnectedness of our world and its impact on the human and employee experience,” read a post from ILFI announcing the new class of recipients. “These organizations take responsibility for their actions and impacts, uphold the highest ethical standards, and champion transparency and vulnerability as core principles in their operations.”
The 2024 label, which can be found here and on the “About/History” section of the WPA website, shows that the firm has made progress in several areas, including growing the size of the company (from 16 to 22 employees), improving retirement provisions and better supporting employee health. The firm has also made advances in “Freedom of Association,” based on its status as a majority employee-owned firm with open and transparent practices that provide team members with freedom and control over decisions made in the business.
WPA has maintained strong performance in gender diversity (with over 50% women), pay-scale and gender-pay equity, and providing training and education opportunities. The firm has scored low and even lost some ground in employee health benefits, ethnic diversity and inclusion. We are providing a deeper look at the JUST guidelines and WPA’s practice below.
“We are grateful to ILFI for providing this independent assessment,” Price said. “This kind of accountability is essential when pushing against the status quo of workplace culture and going above and beyond design industry standards. We are recommitting ourselves to doing better. Our next JUST label will let us know if we have succeeded.”
Below are some of the categories with more details on the guidelines and our practice to meet those guidelines.
