In 2022, SPU began investing in impactful community projects and partners that help SPU manage our city’s waste and water. This impact investment initiative brings utility dollars to projects that have a strategic importance to our business mission and also provide community benefits like: 

• Environmental sustainability
• Social equity
• Economic growth 

In 2023, we invested seed capital into job training and hiring small businesses that will help us manage waste and water and share wealth with people and businesses that have been historically marginalized. This included:

• Training 10 individuals to clean restaurant grease traps and start their own businesses to offer this service. This will help restaurants keep grease out of our wastewater system in compliance with Seattle Municipal Code.
• Training 5 formerly incarcerated individuals to deconstruct houses to keep old growth wood out of the landfill, and instead build a supply of salvaged wood and create green, waste-reduction jobs

The Environmental Justice and Service Equity Team works with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) and partner departments to realize the goals of the City of Seattle's Race and Social Justice Initiative. Our goal is to support SPU in delivering racially inclusive and equitable services. As Race and Social Justice subject matter experts, we provide a framework, guidance, and partner with SPU leadership, branches and project teams to create accountability measures.

• Overview
• Equity Planning and Analysis
• Branch Equity Teams
• Women and Minority Owned Businesses
• Community Connections