Governments and businesses worldwide are increasingly prioritizing equity through their policies and practices. To implement these policies, organizations must understand that equity challenges are fundamentally a geographic issue. To support these efforts, Esri, the world leader in location intelligence, has joined a partnership to create the Chief Equity Officer Network.
Along with the Harvard School of Public Policy, the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties (NACo), and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the network's mission is to find solutions that make equity strategic and actionable by using geographic information system (GIS) technology as a foundation.
"Equity is about creating thriving communities for all residents," said Sophia Garcia, Esri equity and civic nonprofit organizations industry specialist. "To do so, organizations need to implement solutions that meet the needs of the underserved and unserved, whether those conditions stem from racism, variations in physical or mental health, lack of access to services, the effects of climate change, or other circumstances. GIS provides the unique ability to map these complex problems, understand the data, and take more effective action to solve them. We are proud to be able to contribute to this partnership."
A key partner in creating the network, NACo is an organization that unites county officials to advocate for county government priorities in federal policy making. NACo also promotes exemplary county policies and practices, including those around equity.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Esri and are thankful for them bringing their expertise on how GIS is applied to equity across our nation's communities," said Teryn Zmuda, NACo chief research officer and chief economist. "GIS provides the geographic lens for local leaders to translate data, which can be used to approach, discuss, and address equity issues within and across jurisdictions."
The Chief Equity Officer Network will bring together equity officers and leaders from across the states to cultivate and nurture ideas to address equity and how it applies to their community's needs.
About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in hundreds of thousands of organizations globally, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofit institutions, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial technology and analytics, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions that leverage a geographic approach to solving some of the world's most complex problems by placing them in the crucial context of location. Visit us at esri.com.