River Design Group is committed to sustainability not only in the products that we provide to our clients, but in the way we conduct and operate our business. The nature of river restoration projects require a balance between environmental, economic, and social objectives. Our goal is to maximize the positive impacts in each of these sectors on every project no matter the size. We regularly work with our clients and project stakeholders to meet the needs of not only the environmental aspect of a restoration project, but also ensure that social objectives are met including fair and safe labor practices for construction contractors, the protection of cultural heritage sites, and transparent and open communication with the surrounding community during the restoration process. RDG is a western region company that understands the importance of ranching, farming, timber harvest, and mining for the economic sustainability of our communities. Our restoration projects work alongside these industries to restore rivers in practical ways to allow for continued economic benefits, while reducing environmental impacts from future and historic land use. For instance, we work with local timber producers to secure sustainable large wood for projects that create habitat.
Our commitment to sustainability can be seen throughout the way we run our company. Both of RDG’s offices have undergone renovations to include more energy efficient technologies in order to reduce our carbon footprint. We encourage employees to utilize the pedestrian friendly atmosphere of Corvallis and Whitefish by providing storage at the office for bikes, long boards, and skis. We support the efforts of both Corvallis and Whitefish to establish climate action plans that aim to reduce greenhouse gases produced by the city and will continue to find ways to reduce our environmental impact.
Our efforts to attain social sustainability center around the way we treat our employees and the communities we live and work in. Our commitment to our employees is to maintain an organizational culture that focuses on living a balanced healthy lifestyle, where we can work hard and play hard together. We accomplish this through integrating flexibility into work schedules, providing exceptional health care benefits, and treating everyone on our team with respect. We are always striving to be a better company and will continue to seek out a balance between economic gains, environmental responsibility, and social justice.