Engineering Inc. - September/October 2019 - 41

can do something more specific than a general fundraiser or a
supplies drive for the school."
When the firm's Seattle office moved in 2018, Aspect
employees took advantage of the downtime by helping
Stewardship Partners with a riparian restoration effort along
the Snoqualmie River, planting nearly 1,000 shrubs and
trees-including western red cedar and cottonwood trees and
snowberry and salmonberry shrubs. The plantings provide
cooling shade, control erosion and provide habitat for hundreds
of fish and wildlife species, in addition to absorbing carbon
from the air and helping to mitigate climate change.
By agreeing to perform ongoing maintenance work, the ACT
group has "adopted" the habitat and is planning more rain
garden projects.
Chris LaPointe, director of ecological restoration at Stewardship Partners, says ACT's combination of technical expertise
and manual labor makes its contributions especially helpful.
"They were able to produce this wonderful map and
schematic for the rain garden project," says LaPointe. "We do
not have access to engineering software, and I had been racking
my brain trying to create something beyond a hand-drawn map.
That was a huge weight off of our shoulders, and it makes the
overall project look much more professional, especially when we
are pitching it to various grant sources."
"When Aspect comes out to the field to volunteer with us,
there is a common bond, because they are working with the
earth and with water all the time, and so are we," LaPointe adds.
"That is huge to creating a successful partnership."
Since the ACT group was created, employees have also
participated in activities such as food drives, school science
nights and environmental cleanup projects. "It is rewarding
when you can see the benefits right in your community," LanierKamaha'o says.

Villagers from the town of San Francisco Jolomtaj in front
of new water tank, which provides better emergency
supply options and filters for blocking contaminants.

"We are in the right
spot to help because
we have unique
technical skills to
address specific needs
rather than something
more general like
a fundraiser or a
supplies drive."
MEILANI LANIER-KAMAHA'O
PROJECT GEOLOGIST
ASPECT CONSULTING

GLOBAL MINDSET

Today, Aspect's overall giving efforts are a blend of the
leadership-driven giving the firm has always done and the
emerging work of the ACT team. Aspect provides ongoing
financial support to a number of organizations, both locally and
internationally, and Flynn believes it is important to continue
those relationships, even as he strives to give employees more say
in where the firm's dollars go.
"We want to avoid donating with 'one-offs,'" Flynn says. "It is
important for nonprofits to have confidence and consistency in
their cash flow and revenue streams, and we have made it a point
to be a consistent donor, so they have that sustainability."
One of those nonprofits is the Hands for Peacemaking
Foundation, a Guatemalan nonprofit that Flynn supported
before Aspect was founded. In addition to directing a portion
of the firm's charity dollars to the organization, Flynn has traveled to Guatemala a number of times to help evaluate potential sites for groundwater infrastructure in remote areas and
teach locals how to install wells and pumps.
According to Flynn, investing in the community is an
important part of work-life balance. Furthermore, his definition of "community" extends beyond Aspect's immediate
geographical area and beyond international borders. Both perspectives resonate with employees, especially younger workers.
"Younger generations tend to think much more globally," he
says. "I am proud of the fact that the firm is engaged in the work
we do internationally. We are helping institutions in our backyard
as well as in developing countries that certainly need the help."
Although ACT may still seem somewhat separate from the
rest of Aspect's efforts, Lanier-Kamaha'o believes the program has energized employees and has made the firm's giving
more visible to the rank-and-file.
"It is apparent that people are excited to be involved," she
says. "Some people, especially younger employees, will say, 'I
did not realize that we did so much charity work.'" n
Calvin Hennick is a business, technology and travel writer based in
Milton, Massachusetts.

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2019

ENGINEERING INC.

Engineering Inc. - September/October 2019

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