Building with Equity and Inclusion
By leading with our values of care, compassion, and courage, we are transforming communities by design. Our focus on equity and inclusion shows up in our work, our community engagement, and the relationships we build with our partners and neighbors. We leverage these important relationships by asking meaningful questions about how we can better support our neighbors and amplify their voices, especially those of marginalized and underrepresented communities. DEI is a responsibility and practice, and Otak is proud to live this practice in our work and outreach.
Otak actively seeks to partner with minority business enterprises and certified firms in the jurisdictions where we work. Our mission is to not only amplify community voices in the design process, but also involve the community directly in a piece of infrastructure – built with their guidance and our know-how. We share our clients’ commitment to promoting socially and environmentally responsible business participation in business opportunities.
Working with Small Businesses to Flourish
To represent diverse perspectives in the communities for which we design, we intentionally seek a diverse set of voices and perspectives to add to our roster. Recruiting staff from a variety of backgrounds and focusing our outreach efforts on minority-focused groups like OAME, NOMA, and WTS deepen our knowledge of the field— giving us valuable insight into our surrounding communities.
Voices of Diversity
“I craved the disruption that civil [engineering] provides. It’s a comfortability with being uncomfortable that has made me a better professional and better able tackle challenges within a constantly changing industry.”
Project Controls Analyst
See Adreanna’s full spotlight“I try to keep that value [of my heritage] in mind while helping my work family, and in serving my clients and the community.”
Ken Vigil, Senior Project Manger/Engineer
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