Company Practices
“Look closely at the present you are constructing: it should look like the future you are dreaming.” Alice Walker
The company practices for UrbanLens Planning, LLC are our commitment to the present and the future.
Community
As an urban planning/professional services firm, UrbanLens Planning is committed to civic engagement that fosters the well-being of our community. We have provided and continue to provide, volunteer and pro-bono services to several local non-profit organizations, including Know Your City. We are an active member of Business for a Better Portland as well as the Oregon chapter of the American Planning Association and the Planning and Women Division. We participate in the activities of the Sustainability Communities Division of the American Planning Association. UrbanLens Planning, LLC illustrates its respect for the community, clients and our stakeholders and strives to provide thoughtful and meaningful deliverables.
Environment
UrbanLens Planning has committed to being a good steward for the environment. We source sustainable office products: from fair-trade coffee to recycled content products. We place a priority on collaborating with local, women-owned, sustainably-minded businesses for our suppliers and professional partners. Electricity for our office is powered by 100% renewable power through GreenPower Oregon and we share open space that is Certified Backyard Bird Habitat since 2015. We use alternative transportation as often as possible for connecting with clients and the community. In 2017, our use of a bicycle to reach clients and colleagues saved 548 lbs of CO2.
Metrics
We track our volunteer hours, our transportation impacts and our energy use. We are currently exploring certification as a Benefit company through B Labs.
In June of 2018, Robin engaged in an educational program with the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Graduate School of Social Sciences. As part of an immersive, study-intensive three-week period, Robin toured several cities in the Netherlands to learn first-hand about programs and infrastructure that have enabled the Netherlands to continually achieve one of the highest rates of cycling in the world. Her Planning the Cycling City colleagues were cycling advocates, design professionals, urban planners and students from across the globe. The experience was transformative as it provided insights into the humanizing and socializing benefits of cycling in urban environments. (2018)