It’s one thing for an organization to align itself with Reproductive Justice (RJ) in theory, but it’s another to embody those values in daily operations.
Executive directors of RJ organizations represent their organization’s stance in statements, partnerships, and programming. But what’s happening behind the scenes?
Internal processes (e.g., hiring, pay transparency, leadership structures, and benefits) often reveal whether an organization’s commitment to RJ is aspirational or actualized.
If you’re leading an organization that claims to embrace RJ, the most honest question you can ask is: Do our internal policies reflect our RJ values?
What does it look like to introduce RJ during onboarding and not just in outward-facing messaging?
Onboarding is a series of completing paperwork, reviewing benefits, and skimming the employee handbook. But for RJ-aligned organizations, onboarding should serve as the first lived experience of your values. This is where new staff learn not just what you do but how and why you do it. When RJ is integrated from the start, it shifts onboarding from transactional to transformative.
Beyond a values slide in the orientation deck, onboarding should introduce staff to how RJ values are reflected in day-to-day decision-making. This might include naming how your team addresses power dynamics, how rest and restoration are supported, or how conflict is navigated. RJ acknowledges that oppressive systems don’t stop at a nonprofit’s door. If your staff can’t see the values they were hired into reflected in their immediate work environment, disillusionment sets in quickly, leading to staff turnover.
Reflection questions:
- Are we framing Reproductive Justice as a framework for both our work and our internal culture?
- Are we setting expectations for shared power, accountability, and intersectional analysis across all roles?
How do internal decisions about compensation, leadership composition, and benefits reflect or contradict RJ principles?
I used to sit on the board of directors for a reproductive health organization, and in speaking with leadership staff, I learned that staff health benefits didn’t explicitly cover family planning or building care. One of the theories was that the staff were younger in age at the time. Compensation and benefits are among the clearest places where organizational values are tested. RJ emphasizes equity, dignity, and the right to parent (or not), to access healthcare, and to thrive in all areas of life. Yet many nonprofits (especially those with limited funding) may struggle to balance operational sustainability with equitable pay and benefits.
RJ calls for centering lived experience and redistributing power, and leadership composition also speaks volumes. If your internal policies default to the status quo (where whiteness, class privilege, or professional credentials dictate advancement) you’re reinforcing the very systems RJ seeks to dismantle. Cultivate leadership structures where those most impacted can lead authentically and be compensated fairly for doing so. This doesn’t mean tokenizing staff.
Reflection questions:
- Are our salary ranges posted publicly?
- Do staff understand how compensation decisions are made, and how often do we review salaries?
- Are our benefits (like paid family leave, abortion care, mental health support, and flexible scheduling) accessible and inclusive?
- Who holds decision-making power at our organization?
- Does our leadership team reflect the communities most impacted by reproductive injustices? And if not, what’s our plan to change that?
How can EDs hold themselves and their leadership accountable to RJ values without overwhelming staff?
Accountability doesn’t have to mean perfection, nor should it rely solely on staff to point out where leadership falls short. For executive directors, RJ-aligned accountability starts with modeling vulnerability and consistency. Instead of assuming your leadership team is immune to bias or blind spots, build in mechanisms (like anonymous feedback loops, regular values check-ins, or staff-led advisory groups) that support collective accountability.
It’s also important to pace your efforts. Rather than reactively fixing everything at once, prioritize listening. Holding yourself accountable means staying in it for the long haul. Doing the slow, steady work of aligning the inside of your organization with the values you promote externally.
Reflection questions:
- Are we willing to acknowledge when our decisions misalign with our stated values?
- Do we invite feedback in a way that protects staff from retaliation or exhaustion?
- Where are staff asking for change?
- What are 1–2 internal policies we can meaningfully revisit this quarter?
Key takeaway
Reproductive Justice is a commitment to equity that must show up in your internal culture as clearly as it does in your programs and partnerships. When your internal policies align with RJ values, you strengthen your organizational culture AND create a more sustainable environment for your staff.
What story do your policies tell (and are you ready to write new ones?)
Raise Your Voice: What’s one internal policy you can update to better reflect your organization’s Reproductive Justice values? Share in the comments section below.
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