By Sophia Schuster, MBA Class of 2019
At the end of October, six MBAs from the Net Impact Graduate Chapter had the opportunity to attend Net Impact’s National Conference in Phoenix, AZ. Aside from getting some much-needed and well-deserved time in the sun, we had the opportunity to connect with students from across the country who are committed to fusing their sustainability and social responsibility with their business expertise. Continue reading
By Liz Kennedy, MBA Class of 2019
For people who care a lot about healthy foods and sustainability and want to work for a company that does too, attending the Natural Products Expo East Conference was a dream come true. What made the experience even better was attending as part of the MBArk program. MBArk was started by a Yale School of Management graduate named Joe Dobrow. Continue reading
By Sophia Schuster, MBA Class of 2019, President of Net Impact
I emailed Dan Guide to organize a talk in which he would discuss how he integrated sustainability into his career in Supply Chain Management. I was particularly struck, though, when he expressed his belief that Business Schools, which, for years, placed a heavier emphasis on financial cost minimization than on social cost minimization, had intrinsically contributed to the environmental crises that our world is facing today. Expanding upon that point, he noted that it was the responsibility of these same Business Schools to instill a higher moral code among its students so that they may more effectively lead the modern corporation.
Continue reading
Smeal MBA Net Impact was fortunate enough to be paid a visit from Wayne Balta, VP of Corporate Environmental Affairs and Product Safety at IBM. With decades of experience at IBM, many of which he spent working on environmental issues, Mr. Balta provided an insiders’ perspective from one of the world’s largest and most respected companies.
The open Q&A session addressed some of the key management issues in corporate responsibility. IBM has been reporting on environmental issues since 1990. Their robust Continue reading
Some of us in Net Impact are doing something very different. Ten of your fellow students and dedicated Net Impacters are taking an extra course over Mods Two and Three. This is going to be difficult, and it may sound a little crazy. But like many sustainability ideas, we think this is worth it.
We are partnering with the Sustainability Institute on a project to help various Penn Continue reading
You can’t put your hand on a noiseless and odorless bank of fuel cells that is pumping out hundreds of kilowatts of power for the building next door and not believe in its potential. Along with others on the Net Impact tour of Bloom Energy, a group of Smeal MBAs met with Bloom representatives, saw (and touched) the technology, asked a lot of questions, and came away believing it’s a serious innovation for energy generation. Bloom’s fuel cell technology is highly reliable and financially viable—both of which are prompting Fortune 500 companies and others to invest in the energy source.
So the Net Impact folks appreciate some early fall foliage, cool mountain rivers, and a break from b-school demands. It was time for a late-September whitewater rafting trip in the Laurel Highlands of Southwest Pennsylvania.
It’s difficult to reflect on the Stats exam while trying to negotiate around a rock as large as your apartment. You’re nearly panicking because it’s not clear if your paddle stroke is hurting the cause or merely ineffective. But in the end we all Continue reading
“Making wines that are up to international standards year after year requires art, science, and dedication.” –Elwin Stewart, Happy Valley Vineyard and Winery
You did it. The first Mod of the year is done! You have a week to recuperate and give your mind a break. But you can’t just stare at a wall…for too long. You have to do something. It should be something fun, but not too intense. Something interesting, but not too heavy. You should do something that gets you outside, enjoying some fresh air and natural sunlight. And while you’re at it, a little wine wouldn’t hurt.
By Ezra Nanes, MBA Class of 2012
I took a risk in committing the time and money to attend the Net Impact Conference at the end of October, and the payoff was immediate. I feared that being cooped up in a car for the 7-hour drive to Ann Arbor had the potential to suck, but the road trip was actually one of the best parts of the experience. Being “stuck” in a car with my classmates was both fun and really quite liberating. All we could do was talk and joke and listen to music – a precious luxury in the life of an MBA. I rode out with Susan Slopek, Matt Jones and Alex Rosenthal and rode back with Ryan Mallet, Rangarajan TC and Alex. We all share an interest in and a passion for sustainability in business, Continue reading
During the summer, Ryan Mallet posted a blog entry about his summer internship as an Environmental Defense Fund Climate Corps Fellow. James Gowen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Verizon wrote his own blog entry about Ryan’s work this summer: