We encourage employees to make meaningful contributions in the community through organized workplace activities, mentoring in our schools, and volunteering in community projects and charitable campaigns. Pare supports these activities by providing flexible office hours, the use of facilities and materials, and by making direct financial contributions. We all benefit from supporting the community, and we receive a tremendous amount of fulfillment from helping others. Pare is committed to staying at the forefront of sustainable design and using best “green” practices. This committee reviews the latest developments in sustainable design and plans staff activities to employ these methods into our projects. The committee also provides internal guidance for climate change resilience and emergency preparedness, which have the potential to significantly impact project design, permitting, and life-cycle costs—particularly for many of our coastal projects. The Sustainability / Resiliency Committee also spearheads firm-wide recycling initiatives. The Rising Professionals Committee is comprised of some of Pare’s newest employees and individuals in the early stages of their careers to share work and work-life concerns. The committee provides a forum for sharing ideas regarding career advancement and balancing work-life commitments. In addition to planning company-wide social activities, they host a lunch & learn program—”The Enlightened Bite”—that allows senior staff to share their career experiences.