Culture is Collective
Creating an intentional culture that celebrates the strength in diversity
Instrument strives to foster a culture of safety and belonging that empowers people, recognizes their talents, and nurtures their creativity. We believe that differences in our backgrounds, identities, and the way we think make our teams stronger and more innovative. We are committed to cultivating a workplace that reflects the communities we serve, where all employees feel supported, valued, connected, and empowered to do their best work.
our values
People First
We honor and celebrate culturally significant moments and recognize our rich diversity of perspectives and lived experiences. Our culture is where we double down on our commitment to caring for our people — by fostering a culture of belonging for all employees and providing infrastructure and support for our Affinity Groups and their initiatives.
At Instrument, Affinity Groups provide a supportive environment for fostering awareness, understanding, inclusion, and respect for underrepresented groups within our organization.
Pursuit of Excellence
We set industry inclusion standards and uphold equitable systems to ensure all of our policies, practices, and business strategies are in alignment with our commitments to ED&I.
Annual Transparency Report
Our Annual Transparency Report shares our representation data along with the programs, policies, and actions we’ve taken to support systemic change within our organization and the communities we serve. Publishing this data each year allows us to track progress on our goals and holds us accountable to our commitments, ensuring that we apply an ED&I lens to everything we do.
Hiring Practices
Our recruitment and hiring teams are trained in inclusive hiring practices and comply with the EEOC guidelines for diversity and inclusiveness. This reduces bias in the hiring process, removes barriers to entry for people from historically underrepresented identities in our field/industry, and embraces a wide range of qualities and perspectives that candidates can bring to Instrument.
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Inclusive Design and Marketing
From our clients’ workplace culture to the work itself, we’ve seen that cultural relevance and inclusivity are critical to brand success. To us, excellence is found in providing diverse perspectives, cultural expertise, and insights to inform marketing strategies, campaigns, and creative — ensuring our work is always culturally competent and authentic.
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Compensation Philosophy
Through a thoughtful and holistic approach, our compensation philosophy is grounded in transparency and fortified with checks and balances to ensure consistency and equity for every person at Instrument.
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Growth Mindset
We have a multi-pronged approach to education, where we offer all company and discipline-specific learning opportunities. This approach helps us establish a shared vocabulary and baseline understanding for our ED&I initiatives — while ensuring we're current on industry best practices and can act as sources of truth for our clients.
Truth in Action
Our outreach initiatives are rooted in redistributing resources, capital, and skills to underserved areas to help shape a better future.
About
Our Build, Grow, Serve program, launched in 2021, supports and empowers Black and underrepresented communities with dedicated Instrument time, resources, and expertise. We've helped mission-driven businesses grow by reimagining websites, brand strategies, and digital experiences.
In 2024, we evolved Build, Grow, Serve into Build Week—an immersive, multi-day creative sprint for Portland-based BIPOC-owned small businesses. In partnership with Vanport Studio, we bring multidisciplinary Instrument teams to collaborate directly with business founders. Over three days, these teams provide strategic support, deliver tangible assets, and help unlock each brand's potential.
Our pro bono partner: Vanport Studio
Vanport Studio based in Portland and founded by Stephen Green and Jelani Memory, empowers startups to form and scale through mentorship and support. Instrument aligns its pro bono efforts with Vanport to drive meaningful community impact.