Equity & Diversity

YGH is committed to improving equity in the A/E/C industry through our partnerships with Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, Women-Owned Business Enterprises and Emerging Small Business Enterprises. Our commitment to working with MBE, WBE and ESB firms can be traced to our firm’s earliest years through relationships formed and nurtured with A/E firms in the developing world. These working relationships have included a technology transfer from YGH to our partners as well as staff exchanges in which personnel from each firm have had the opportunity to work side by side in the US and overseas. This spirit of partnership has permeated YGH’s culture throughout our five decades of business and includes an appreciation of diversity at our own practice.

Commitment to Professional Development

YGH has a robust commitment to growing its staff through all levels of their career. Each week YGH provides a Tuesday Lunch and Learn, bringing in outside product representatives and education speakers to provide continuing education credits for licensed architects and those seeking LEED certification. In addition, YGH hosts a unique Thursday@4 event for all staff. This time is for employees to present their work and learnings with each other, to host special guest speakers, or to even watch the occasional movie about Pietro Bellushchi.

To encourage engagement with professional peers, YGH supports professional organization memberships for employees. Employees are encouraged to attend and participate in local events and educational opportunities through these professional organizations. Internally, employees have created study groups to help with their LEED and architectural licensing exams, for which YGH pays all study and exam expenses.

YGH has internal Committees that meet monthly. The Emerging Professionals Committee supports our unlicensed employees in their growth and provides them the resources to succeed. The Sustainability Committee promotes best practices both internally and throughout all aspects of product delivery. To learn more about our Sustainability practices please visit here.

Community Involvement

Investing in our community is a core principle of our company. YGH encourages its employees to be engaged in the communities we live and work in. Many of our employees are actively involved in local non-profits or professional organizations. Our team participates together in yearly volunteer activities and have long-standing relationships with Architects in Schools, Canstruction, Winter Light Festival, and United Way.

Just Label

In 2016, YGH became the first architecture firm in Portland, Oregon to participate in the International Living Future Institute’s Just Label. The Just Label demonstrates our commitment to transparency in our office regarding our diversity, equity, our treatment of our employees, and our commitment to the local community.