Why JUST?

 

February 15, 2019 marks a big milestone for LGA as we became the first company in the State of Nevada to receive a JUST label from the International Living Future Institute (ILFI). We first heard about JUST last year while investigating the requirements for designing a project under the Living Building Challenge. The International Living Future Institute created JUST to measure social justice and equity in the workplace and is a voluntary disclosure and transparency platform. JUST requires that participants like LGA disclose a range of metric data which is then shared publicly for consumers to easily grasp how organizations treat their workers and give back to their community. I consider it the food nutrition label for companies.

JUST measures the corporate social justice of a firm and provides metrics to help a firm improve social equity and employee engagement. The submission process for JUST is rigorous and similar to that of the Living Building Challenge which relies on proof that the firm is doing what it says. Firms are rated from zero to three stars in the areas of:

  • Diversity (non-discrimination, gender and ethnic diversity)
  • Equity (pay scale equity, gender pay equity, living wage, family-friendly policies)
  • Safety (occupational safety, hazardous chemicals)
  • Worker Benefit (happiness, benefit programs, continuing education)
  • Local Benefit (local control, local sourcing)
  • Stewardship (responsible investing, volunteering, charitable giving, transparency)

We always try to blaze a trail; whether it be for sustainability, sociology in architecture, customer experience, and now our social impact as a firm. This process taught us a lot about how to measure things that are important to today’s workers. It also sets a baseline for our firm’s continual improvement. LGA has always been focused on creating a great work environment and the JUST label signifies that we are succeeding. Especially important to us was the 9.2 rating on a scale of 10 for the firm’s Worker Happiness Index, which was compiled from an anonymous survey of all of LGA’s employees. 

At LGA, we strive to live our values. Creating a great place to work is at the top of the list. And now we have the data to back it up!