About SCI
Mission / Vision Statement
The mission of Solar Cookers International is to improve human health, economic well-being, women’s empowerment, and the environment by promoting climate-friendly solar cooking for vulnerable populations worldwide.
SCI acknowledges that recognizing and supporting the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion is an organization wide value.
Impact Statement
SCI influences:
- Changes in policy
- Changes in practice
- Changes in research and development that result in an increased adoption of solar cooking worldwide.
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SCI leads through advocacy, research, and strengthening the capacity of the global solar cooking movement.
The SCI Way: SCI’s Statement of Culture
We are emotionally committed to achieving our mission to harness the sun to benefit people and the environment. We see this not as just a job, but as a chance to strengthen self-reliance and self-help of the most vulnerable groups, typically women, children, people with disabilities, and those living in extreme poverty.
We are professional in all that we do in support of our mission. We recognize that we cannot achieve our mission unless we create a successful nonprofit business to support that mission. We run our nonprofit business with care for how we use the resources that donors and customers have given us.
We develop relationships of trust. We operate Solar Cookers International in accordance with the bylaws, regulations and policies of our state, nation, and our many partner agencies. We protect our donors’ and partners’ privacy and confidentiality. The only information solicited from stakeholders and customers shall be information necessary for Solar Cookers International to best serve their needs. We act ethically in all our dealings.
Our collaborators and colleagues need information and tools they can use in a timely manner. When we can’t meet their needs because they fall outside our mission or are beyond our resources at the current time, we clearly say so rather than leave them hanging.
We have a relentless commitment to continuous improvement. We constantly look for better ways to do established things and important new things that can further our mission.
Because we are an innovative institution, mistakes are inevitable. We flush our mistakes, learn from them, and go on. When we do something that hurts another, we apologize rather than make excuses.
We debate and commit rather than smooth and avoid. When we think there is a better way or a problem to be fixed, we challenge and assist each other. We believe leadership is making our team members better and more productive and we are committed to being leaders, each of us, even when it makes us uncomfortable. Instead of working in silos, team members are willing to pitch in whenever needed, where the need is greatest.
We fill each other’s emotional tanks. We treat ourselves, each other, our donors, our partners, and the people we serve with dignity. We recognize and celebrate our successes with each other. We support each other through disappointments and glitches. We adopt Ernest Shackleton’s motto: “Difficulties are just things to overcome, after all.”
