Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Creates Opportunities for Everyone.

“Olivine is committed to fostering a culture that values and respects every individual.”

— Beth Reid, CEO

Welcome to Olivine’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion webpage (DEI). Our commitment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment drives us. Join us on a journey towards a more inclusive future.

Olivine believes that diversity is a source of strength. We are committed to creating an environment that welcomes and acknowledges differences, including but not limited to race, class, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, and ability.

Empowering Our People

Olivine’s DEI initiatives are aimed at cultivating a safe and welcoming workplace culture where each employee feels appreciated and recognized. Our team comprises individuals from various backgrounds, identities, and experiences. By embracing our differences, we aim to nurture a work environment that inspires innovation, creativity, and growth.

We implement a range of targeted recruitment strategies to attract and retain diverse talent. These strategies include working with recruiters, participating in local job fairs, engaging with community colleges, and providing recruitment bonuses to employees who refer candidates from underrepresented communities. Moreover, we have identified key job positions that can be located in CalEPA designated Disadvantaged Communities (DACs), empowering individuals from areas that have been disproportionately burdened by multiple sources of pollution.

Olivine Community Vision Model

Energizing Our Communities

At Olivine, our mission to promote equitable access to clean energy technologies to combat climate change is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We firmly believe that individuals and communities thrive when we embrace diversity, and this leads to a prosperous world for us all. Therefore, we actively support underrepresented communities in the work we do by facilitating fair access to clean energy technologies to combat climate change.

Examples

Richmond & Oakland, California

The Olivine Community Energy Initiative (OCEI) undertook a groundbreaking study of disadvantaged communities (DACs) situated in Richmond, CA, and Oakland, CA. The primary goal of the study was to explore the energy consumption patterns of households within these communities and to assess their willingness and ability to participate in demand response programs. The Olivine Community Energy web and mobile app played a crucial role in the success of the OCEI, serving as a platform for customer enrollment and engagement. Additionally, the app was used to track event performance and provide instructions on how to reduce energy during events. The findings indicate that demand response and energy savings programs should prioritize outreach to and inclusion of Disadvantaged Communities.
Fresno Energy Program Pilot

Pacific Gas & Electric’s The Fresno Energy Program PIlot, administered by Olivine, placed a special emphasis on customer segments that are historically challenging to reach, especially Disadvantaged and Low-Income Communities (DAC) with a predominantly Hispanic population. To ensure that the intended audience was properly served, the program App, which was used for enrollment and participant engagement, was translated into Spanish. Moreover, the app was made accessible via the web and not just limited to mobile devices, so it could be accessed from public computers. The Fresno Energy Program Pilot’s success in engaging underserved communities offers a valuable blueprint for developing other demand response (DR) programs across PG&E’s territory. Furthermore, the Program showcased the feasibility of implementing the Olivine Community model statewide.
Clean Power Alliance

Olivine collaborated with Clean Power Alliance (CPA) to launch its Power Response Program Pilot in Los Angeles. The program aimed to encourage a diverse range of customers to participate in Demand Response, including those in traditionally hard-to-reach communities such as low-income and disadvantaged areas. This was a Distributed Energy Resource (DER) and Demand Response (DR) initiative that offered incentives to residential and commercial customers for taking part in DR Energy Savings Events. The program utilized various technologies such as smart thermostats, EV charging equipment, and battery energy storage.

The program attracted over 600 participants, who collectively saved over 11 MWh of energy during the summers of 2020 and 2021. The program team prioritized outreach to historically underserved communities, specifically those located in Disadvantaged Communities as defined by CA SB535 and low-income customers receiving rate discounts. More than 12% of the program’s total enrolments came from these communities. Moreover, enrollees from underserved communities were offered higher incentive rates for participating in the pilot program.

Olivine, Inc. celebrates diversity and endeavors to build an inclusive work environment that inspires innovation, creativity, and growth. Our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion extends beyond the workplace to our work itself, where we actively support underrepresented communities in the fight against climate change.

Olivine is a woman-owned small business, founded by Beth Reid, and is proud to hold the following certifications:

National Women’s Business Enterprise Certification as a Women’s Business Enterprise (#WBE2301019)
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council Certification as a Women’s Owned Small Business (WOSB230745)
Women Owned Business Certification from Supplier Clearinghouse (VON:10110111)
Small Business Certification from State of California (#2031273)