EWB Values EWBers are motivated by a common purpose to build a more just world, and to build our organisation into one that can have transformative impact helping to address global inequality. We have a strong implict sense of what values guide us; this process has been one of drawing these out, and of articulating them.

EWB Values – why? Values shape our behaviour. They can provide an aspiration for us to aim for, and help us make decisions. Their articulation is tricky: they should be succinct, but not bland. They should resonate with us in our guts, but we should also be able to say intellectually, that yes, this value will help us as individuals and ewb as an organisation to have greater impact fulfilling our mission. They should be for each of us as individuals – but also should be easy to communicate with others. The values that we have articulated emerged from many discussions. Our goal was to have 5-7 values that we felt were true to who we were, that were important for impact, and that made ewb the organisation that we are. Values are only a part of the picture: they are related to our vision and mission; to our organisational culture and identity (which includes values, but is broader than that alone). The test that we think matters. How do these values translate into behaviours? Are they actionable? Do they guide us in ways that we are proud of? We look forward to the discussion!

Light a spark in others Personally Commit Strive for Impact Put Dorothy First Are driven by Possibility Address Root Causes Act as Humble Entrepreneurs As EWBers, we

Light a spark in others Personally Commit Strive for Impact Put Dorothy First Are driven by Possibility Address Root Causes Act as Humble Entrepreneurs This means … We stay independent - always able to do what she would want us to. We help bring her voice into the rooms where she needs to be heard We work through the complexity of a situation to find actions that address the underlying systemic injustice We act in the face of uncertainty or dilemma, we learn through doing. when we are wrong, we admit our mistakes We believe in the inherent potential of others and in the need to build a mass of supporters. We provide opportunity, support and feedback. It is our obligation to ask tough questions about our past, present and future work to determine if we are having the maximum impact for Dorothy. We are outraged by injustice. We strive to make the impossible possible. We combine imagination, hard work, and passion into an unstoppable force All change begins with you and I. We commit to act in line with the change we aspire to. We commit to growth through regular self- assessment, and we have the courage to ask for feedback

Values from process (used to develop final draft) Focus on what matters for Dorothy. (Impact/outcome focus - even when it means a tough decision) We choose the most effective over the most "sexy" solutions We take a root-cause approach We can explain the "why" behind all we do We strive for long term solutions, based on systemic injustices. Lead through uncertainty. We know that we do not know all the answers and will share the questions we have openly (humility) We know that change is complex and is difficult to attribute, yet recognize and celebrate successes along the way We acknowledge and work with many tensions, balancing different priorities We know caring is not enough, and thoughtfulness is not enough (though both are necessary), therefore we take decisions and move to action We will adapt our work as we go, seeking and incorporating lessons. We do this through forming and testing hypotheses. Unleash the potential in others and in ourselves: EWB invests in people in Canada and Africa. We see people and their skills and abilities as fundamental to the work we can and want to do. Change will only come from the leadership and creative capacity of the individuals involved in EWB, and our partners overseas. We recognize the intrinsic worth of others and invest in them. We know that to create the change we hope to see, we need to learn as much as possible. We push ourselves into our learning zone. We give and receive feedback openly in order to constantly improve We strive to empower others, and also to learn from them. Build strong relationships and community. We prioritize empathizing and connecting with each other and others with common goals (e.g. partners and communities in which we work) We recognize that together we have a strong voice, and we are not afraid to use it to speak out against what we think should change We have trust and confidence in each other. We leverage each others strengths. We value diverse opinions.

Values continued Hold ourselves accountable We are self-reflective as individuals and as an organisation, asking ourselves and each other tough questions We encourage open and critical discussions, request feedback and input whenever possible. We are transparent such that accountability is possible. We have clear ways for all to contribute to the organisation, and all EWBers own different parts of the organization. Think hard, work hard and have fun We are rigorous with our thinking. We'll take the time to map out tough problems. We are not afraid to be dorks, bringing in our engineering culture We are intense! The time together we have is too valuable to use on sleep! Be driven by passion, ambition and love We know that being thoughtful is not enough, and we need to use our heart and our guts to fuel our decisions and actions. We are persistent and relentless with the work that we do. This often involves a lot of sacrifice. We take a step back to dream big and re-connect with our purpose. Show dignity and respect We are mindful of our depiction of Africans and of our role as Westerners We take time and energy to empathize and understand others Be resourceful and pick our battles We know we can't do everything all by ourselves, all at once. We are strategic and thoughtful about our actions We have a "can-do" attitude that allows great things with few resources We are pragmatic with what we take on, considering return on investment Innovate, create and be entrepreneurial We are not satisfied to use only what currently exists - we take a lens that we should shape the world around us. We enjoy the process of coming up with new ways of looking at things, of new solutions and new activities. We explore possibilities, experiment and take risks