ASPCA® Culture, Values, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commitment
At the ASPCA, we pride ourselves on being a respected leader for the protection and welfare of animals, and we offer our employees an inspiring, collaborative, entrepreneurial, and fun working environment. Our talented and diverse group of over 1,000 employees across the country has deep knowledge, skills, and passion for the animals we serve and protect.
The mission of the ASPCA is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. We seek outstanding candidates who are dedicated to that mission and embody our core values: Ownership, Elevate, Commitment, Team, Impact.
How We Work
The ASPCA drives systemic change for animals through:
- Shelter & Veterinary Services: Providing direct care for animals in need, sharing best practices with animal shelter professionals, and advancing access to veterinary care
- Policy, Response & Engagement: Rescuing and rehabilitating animals, ensuring enforcement of cruelty laws, changing policies to improve animal welfare, and keeping pets and people together
- Development: Engaging individuals and organizations to support our lifesaving work
- Operations &People: Optimizing our effectiveness through technology, people development, strategic planning, and groundbreaking research
- Communications: Generating discussion and engagement across external and internal audiences, increasing awareness of our mission and impact, and driving change and action in the animal welfare field
- Finance, Facilities and Real Estate & Capital Projects: Helping to put donor dollars to use where needed most to advance lifesaving programs for animals
- Legal, Internal Audit and Safety & Security: Managing organizational safety, security and risk
What It Takes
Rooted in the belief that everyone benefits from continuous learning and development, the ASPCA’s Behavioral Competency Model provides a guide for how our staff demonstrates our Core Values to drive change for animals. Our team members at every level continually strive to build proficiency to advance our mission:
ASPCA Behavioral Competencies
- Thinks Critically and Strategically
- Achieves Quality Results
- Demonstrates Perseverance
- Drives Creativity and Innovation
- Continuously Learns and Teaches
- Builds Collaborative Relationships
- Fosters Open Communication
- Demonstrates Compassion Towards Self, Animals, and Others
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The ASPCA was founded on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans. Acting effectively on that belief requires a commitment to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and to principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome all voices to participate in our advancement of these values in the interest of working together to improve the lives of animals in need.
Our impact on animals’ lives across the country is directly tied to the contributions of people. And our impact is elevated substantially when all staff members, partners, and communities are seen, heard, and included. Each of us brings a unique and rich perspective to our work, and listening to, collaborating with, and learning from those diverse perspectives will enable us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA’s vision – that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain, and suffering.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Our Shared Language
We recognize that the definitions and pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion can mean different things depending on the context and location of that work.
The ASPCA defines diversity, equity, and inclusion as follows:
Diversity is the acceptance and respect of all the ways in which people differ, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, socio-economics, disability, religion, perspectives, and values.
Equity is the promotion of justice and fairness within our practices, policies, and distribution of resources by actively identifying and eliminating barriers that prevent equal access and opportunity for all.
Inclusion is the intentional creation of environments that welcome, support, and respect all individuals and groups to fully participate in processes, activities, and decision- or policy-making.
People
We are inspired by our staff who choose to support the ASPCA’s work and demonstrate their dedication to improving the lives of animals in many different ways. Our people represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. We seek to encourage and support them to authentically and comfortably share themselves and their ideas. This requires reflecting and increasing diversity on our teams and in our leadership. We commit to equitably and proactively supporting all our people so they can maximize their individual and team contributions to our lifesaving mission.
Partners
Our team extends beyond our physical locations and our ASPCA staff members. Doing our work effectively hinges on collaborations with strong partners around the country, including local shelters and animal welfare organizations, law enforcement agencies, donors and volunteers, professional responders, veterinarians, and social-service agencies that share our vision. In these relationships, we seek to find common ground that enables us to not only work well together but also to learn from each other and evolve independently as a direct result of the partnership.
Communities
Finally, our staff, professional responders, and volunteers are often guests in communities across the country. Working in communities requires that we listen, offer our ideas and passion for our mission with humility, and ensure that communities and their constituents have a voice in solutions that affect them and their animals. By committing to inclusiveness, we tap deeply into the strengths and skills of those with whom we work, thereby increasing our impact on animals in need.