Archive for the ‘Sustainability’ Category
The 20/30 Series: Sustainability in the City – Recap
Posted by: Maria Ghassemi in Sustainability on June 24th, 2011
Our first Net Impact speaker event at the SFU Segal Chapter at the Beedie School of Business was an incredible success thanks to our speaker panel and their willingness to share their expertise with us. We would also like to thank our associate dean, Colleen Colins for her opening remarks at our first speaker series event. Below is a brief summary of themes covered on Monday. We are grateful for their involvement in helping us educate students and young professionals in sustainability in the world of business. Our speakers were Shawn Burns, CEO and President, Carbon Credit Corp Canada; Brenda Reid-Kuecks, President, Ecotrust Canada; Saul Brown, President and CSO (Chief Story Officer), Saul Good Gift Co; Bonnie Wong, Investment Manager, VanCity Community Capital; and Jacqueline Go, Sustainability Programs Coordinator, Teck Resources.
Shawn gave us insights into the average lifespan of species and how our culture of consumerism is increasing. Brenda spoke about tourism, fisheries, and forestry sectors, and how place and environment should matter to all of us because we have an impact on each other either directly or indirectly. Saul gave his background story of how he started his own business of corporate gift baskets that are both sustainable and interesting. Bonnie spoke about travel and discovery and Jackie spoke about the transformative forces of big business like mining.
We hope to host speaker events on an annual basis, visit our Facebook page for event photos and invitations to our future events. For more information on making a positive environmental, social and economic impact in the Vancouver community, visit our Net Impact Blog.
The Impact of Getting Involved by Taralyn Day
Posted by: tday in Sustainability on November 25th, 2010
Part of the value of the MBA program is the opportunity to network and get involved with local organizations. Many of us have found board and committee positions through SFU that will allow us to put our hard-earned business skills to work and give us invaluable experience before the job search is in full swing.
One of these organizations is Net Impact, a global non-profit association of business professionals and students working towards greater social and environmental sustainability. The SFU Segal Chapter is planning its 2010/11 year and I’m excited to be a member of the board to share information and work on upcoming events and initiatives.
Net Impact is currently highlighting the Socially Responsible Business Plan Competition that awards $100,000 in cash and prizes to outstanding business plans that are still in the start-up phase and have a defined social or environmental goal. Summaries are due by December 3rd, 2010 and a list of past winners can be found on the William James Foundation website. Read the rest of this entry »
EPIC Vancouver – Sustainability Advice for MBA Students
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in MBA Experience, Sustainability on May 31st, 2010
Ethical. Progressive. Intelligent. Consumer. (Company).
EPIC is Western Canada’s largest sustainable living and working expo. In a city with a plethora of green space, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, and mountain ranges as the backdrop to beautiful ocean views, there’s no surprise that Vancouver has Canada’s strongest sustainability movement. The last weekend of May is witness to an expo that showcases both the new and the tried and true sustainable living strategies. This year it was easy to notice that the show is also integrating sustainability into the workplace.
MBA students with a desire to focus on sustainable business strategies should take notice. As a student of business in the 21st century ethical and sustainable business practices should be absolutely top of mind. As a result, SFU has indoctrinated a full credit ethics course and an equally weighed sustainability course as part of the mandatory curriculum for the SFU Full-Time MBA Program. These courses have been part of the MBA program for three years, and will continue to be a major focus in the one-year MBA degree. Further, sustainability and ethics teachings are making their way into the curriculum of the other core MBA courses. As this article will go on to explain, this idea of integrating sustainability into every-day business is something that the EPIC expo is starting to focus on. One key exhibitor, the David Suzuki Foundation, has a very interesting take on it all. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for Sustainable Business Planning
Posted by: Jessica Oman in Sustainability on May 14th, 2010
More than just a buzzword, sustainable business is going to become the norm. It has to. Every business has a social, an environmental, and an economic impact. To remain profitable all companies have to focus on sustainability, however the choose to define it.
If your company is interested in being more sustainable, you must first choose what aspect of sustainability – social, environmental, or economic – is most important to the business. Then, choose a pathway that is realistic and achievable. Sustainability activities, like any business activity, should be carefully planned, appropriately implemented, and regularly assessed, or it won’t be successful. So, set goals, create deadlines, and stick to them to gain credibility in the eyes of both internal and external stakeholders. Read the rest of this entry »
Avatar for MBA’s – A Graduate Business Perspective of Ethics and Sustainability
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Student Life, Sustainability on February 17th, 2010
“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” – James Cameron
I’ll do my best not to spoil the movie, however if you haven’t seen it, do so… today. How I view Avatar is a great example of how the MBA has changed the way I perceive and think about the world around me. Beyond the classes specifically devoted to topics of social responsibility and ethics, most every class in the SFU MBA program, from Finance to Graduate Marketing, addresses these important issues. Read on for a brief look at how the Ethics and Sustainability sections of SFU’s Full-time MBA effected my analysis of the movie. Read the rest of this entry »