Organisational transformation

Jesuit Social Services fosters an ecological culture where transformation starts with the personal. The Jesuit Social Services approach is to:

• encourage shared values of personal relationships with ecology; and
• integrate an ecological justice perspective into all programs and advocacy

In 2008 Jesuit Social Services began to incorporate ecological justice into our organizational culture, program delivery and advocacy. This emerged from our commitment to building a just society, our Jesuit heritage emphasizing reconciliation with creation and our work with the most marginalized in the community who are most likely to be affected by environmental degradation and climate injustice.

Acknowledging the interconnection between environmental and social issues has influenced our practice, policy, and organisational identity, and shaped our strategy to ensure we are equipped to address justice issues of the future. We are committed to achieving a just society that contributes to restoring healthy ecological relationships for all.

Jesuit Social Services used its original Way of Proceeding as a basis to develop its ecological approach. This Way of Proceeding recognizes three interconnected domains that must be considered in all aspects of the organisation’s operations.

1. Human Spirit – Focusing upon essential anthropological and spiritual questions around what it means to be human and enquiries into the conditions within which humans thrive and have healthy relationships. This involves an informed and discerning process of understanding ourselves, our fellow humans and our relational context.
2. Practice Framework – Developing a relational way of being and acting that reflects and lives ecological justice. This promotes environmental awareness and ecological justice across our practice areas and our advocacy including justice and crime prevention, settlement and community building, mental health support and wellbeing, and education, training, and employment.
3. Business Processes – Adopting environmentally sustainable business practices and processes. Discernment in relation to our financial and other resources so they respect and contribute to, rather than harm, efforts to build a just society