We accept our responsibility to create momentum, accelerate and inspire positive and meaningful social change within GBD, the design profession, and our surrounding community.

We are listening, learning, and maintaining flexibility towards collectively establishing substantial and measurable change.  

LISTEN, LEARN, & UNLEARN

We will engage in conversations with experts, and we will expand our understanding of racism, diversity, and underrepresentation in architecture.  We will commit to expunge both innate and learned inequities in our process, community, and world.

EVOLVE

We commit to fostering diversity in the next generation of design professionals, civic leaders, and changemakers. We commit to focusing on serving, recruiting, and supporting a diverse population of students and professionals. We commit to strengthening our community relationships to expand our connections to people from all economic, social, and racial backgrounds.

INFLUENCE

We seek to become leaders in a more equitable future for Portland, and beyond. We seek to empower individuals from diverse backgrounds to affect change in their community through design.

We commit to building a better future for humanity.

We are especially proud of our connection to Kelly Elementary School in SE Portland. For more than a decade, GBD has been a key contributor to the Kelly School pantry, which serves underprivileged families in the neighborhood. During this time, GBD Employees have donated more than $90,000 – several tons of food – to help keep the shelves stocked. In addition, GBD conducts the Kelly School Toy Drive every holiday season, and has provided more than 3,000 toys to happy children and grateful parents.

Within professional circles, GBD is an active participant and supporter of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), and the AIA’s Committee on the Environment (COTE).

GBD-U is our lecture series that explores sustainability issues, project case studies, or methods of best practices.  Quarterly lightning talks (best known as Pecha Kucha presentations) provide insight into individual passions or areas of expertise. Our robust schedule of Lunch and Learns helps keep staff up to date on products and processes, while providing valuable AIA Continuing Education credits.

As day-to-day resources, we employ specialists in sustainability, information technology, and building information management. We encourage professional licensure for those eligible and LEED accreditation for everyone.  GBD furnishes study materials for all professional exams and offers reimbursement for successful completion of LEED certification.