Center for Education on Social Responsibility

When a new generation of young leaders unites, applying their careers to solve challenges across six continents, energy and motivation run rampant. This is the atmosphere at Net Impact meetings, events, and competitions. For the past four years, CESR has been home to the Graduate Net Impact chapter at CU, a volunteer led nonprofit that brings young leaders together to drive transformations in their workplace and in the world. The organization is made up of a network of chapters that weave environmental sustainability and social responsibility into countless communities and entrepreneurships.  

Advised by CESR Instructor David Payne, the CU Graduate Chapter is recognized as a Gold Chapter by the Net Impact headquarters, located in San Francisco. Net Impact Co President Steven Ross states, “The Net Impact club is merely a manifestation of the attitudes of a new breed of Impact MBAs that are attracted to schools like CU so they can help take part in saving the world.” Net Impact members remain busy year round, planning, leading, and attending events, as detailed below.

In addition to hosting the Board Fellows and supporting the New Venture Challenge Social Impact Track, Net Impact also hosts the Net Impact Case Competition, a lively multi-round competition in which teams of graduate students from across the world solve real world problems. The top 20 teams from the qualifying submission advance to the semifinal round, for a chance to be one of 5 teams that advance to finals. Teams present live in front of a panel of judges for an opportunity to win $15,000 in prize money, distributed among the top teams.

Furthermore, Net Impact members receive the opportunity to work as consultants within the Boulder and campus communities. Within the Boulder-Denver area, students visit local businesses and sustainable exhibits, listening, learning, and leading with our region’s top executives, entrepreneur’s, and social capitalists. “Net Impact provides a dynamic environment for students interested in values-driven business”, said Susanne Lewis, President of the CU Leeds Net Impact Chapter. “For example, last fall, over 30 graduate students from Leeds attended the national Net Impact Conference in Portland to experience three days of learning and networking with over 2,600 students and professionals. Net Impact is a great complement to Leeds strong culture of sustainability”.

For more information, visit the net impact site at http://leeds.colorado.edu/club/netimpact#overview

When Arok Garang started Seeds of South Sudan, he wanted to free his home nation from the shackles of poverty by providing Sudanese children with the gift of education. In Fall 2011, CU students from CESR’s Business Solutions for the Developing World began working with Arok to develop his mission and work toward a more empowered future for the children of Sudan.

In 2008, CESR Instructor Francy Milner created Business Solutions for the Developing World, a course providing undergraduate Leeds School of Business students with the skill sets and opportunity to meet the real world needs of small business entrepreneurs in developing countries by developing sustainable business strategies. Today, the course is taught by CESR Instructor Catherine Milburn and consists of  students creating business plans to help entrepreneurs in third world countries with their business endeavors.

Unlike many mock projects conducted in universities, Business Solutions has a tangible impact on its partnering entrepreneurs. Instructor Milburn recently received an update from Arok, in which he writes,

I just wanted to let you know that, I’m now in Kenya and will be heading to South Sudan…The students have done more than I was expecting. They have accomplished more what was done last semester. I’m very excited because of what they done within very short time. The students have accomplished all the project assignments except for the video kits, which I don’t think it will be possible since I’m not there this month. I will also email them. Let me know if there is something I can do while I’m here.

Arok’s devotion to Seeds of Sudan and gratitude for the assistance of CU students mirrors the inspiration of other projects in the Business Solutions course. Other course projects this semester include:

- BOULD, a mission driven enterprise that seeks to eliminate substandard housing while providing comprehensive green building education for professionals and students

- WAVES, a US, Peru and Swiss based 501c3 developing sustainable economy,   education and youth programs in Lobitos Peru using surf tourism and voluntourism as a catalyst

 - Global Peace Train, a nonprofit that partners with local communities to build small businesses to help uplift them from poverty

 - Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF), a non-profit organization that has developed a successful approach to re-planting distressed reefs in the Florida Keys

- Adventure Climbing in Brazil, committed to improving lives through an outdoor sports and adventure program for under-privileged youth in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, expanding to other at-risk communities at the center of adventure tourism

 - Ecotourism in Escobal, Panama, in which the main objective is to create a sound business and marketing plan to erect, promote, and expand Punta Macu, and sustainable tourism in general in Escobal, Colón

CESR is thrilled with the positive contributions our students make by engaging in inspiring endeavors such as these each semester !

On the evening of March 30^th, over 50 Alumni from the CESR course Leadership Challenges united at Celestial Seasonings for a shared evening of friends, networking, and laughter. Peter Burns and the welcoming staff at Celestial Seasonings graciously hosted this fun event, while the CESR Junior Board, a dedicated group of Leeds graduates, organized the evening. Leadership Challenges is CESR’s top-rated, highly-selective, year- long, senior-level course, which just completed its fifth year. CESR would like to extend our gratitude towards both Celestial Seasonings and our Junior Board for successfully bringing five years of graduates together for this wonderful evening!

Enjoy the below photos for an iPhone recap of the evening!

On the evening of April 2, six innovative student teams gathered for the Social Impact Business Plan Competition. CESR created and implemented the Social Impact track two years ago. The goal of the program is to foster the culture of social entrepreneurship in the Front Range by providing resources, mentoring, and training to budding social impact entrepreneurs, and build bridges between CU and the surrounding business community. The Social Impact competition is one of five subject-matter tracks in the campus-wide CU New Venture Challenge.

 This year was a record-setting year for CESR’s Social Impact competition, which boasted 16 participating teams, 11 submitted business plans and $8000 in donated prizes from our sponsors – Boulder County Social Venture Partners, the Hub of Boulder, and Transition Colorado. The Social Impact track provides coaching and mentoring support for teams who have new enterprises that create social and/or environmental benefits. The top three winners in the Social Impact Track of the NVC were:

 First place — Urban Farm Co of Colorado: Empowering people to become small-scale farmers in their own back yards by making gardening easy and fun. 10% of profits go to low-income communities.

Second place — Kustawi Global: Providing a low-cost, easy-to-use, and safe medical device to prevent Postpartum Hemorrhaging in developing countries.

 Third place — Birambye Lodge, Rwanda: Using sustainable technologies that tackle energy, water, and sanitation problems, while generating income for educating Rwandan orphans.

In the New Venture Challenge Social Impact track, teams participate in a series of workshops that help them develop a business plan. Each of the five tracks – Information Technology, Music, General, Cleantech, and Social Impact — hosts their own semifinal competition, which features a panel of judges who offer commentary and feedback.

CESR created the new, highly successful Social Impact track of the NVC competition with the help of CESR Advisory Board members Rich Hoops, former Chair of Social Venture Partners, and Cindy Lindsay, recognized as an outstanding volunteer, Francy Milner, CESR Instructor and Associate Director, and two invaluable student volunteers, Bea Steiner and Nancy Smith.

The New Venture Challenge Competition finals took place on April 5, as the winning teams from each of the NVC Tracks gathered in Wolf Law to present before a live audience and judges. Total cash and in-kind prizes totaling $8,000 were awarded to top teams. CESR and the Social Impact Track congratulates the Social Impact winners, Urban Farm Company, on their second place finish in the final competition!

NVC Champions: Rideorama.com (Information Technology)

Second Place: Urban Farm Company (Social Impact)

Third Place: Rebound Technology (Wild Card)

Ensemble Pearl (Music)

Mobius Creations (General)

Thrive Energy (CleanTech)

Examples of the CESR SRE student projects include:

• Development of a Sustainability Plan for Frontier Airlines to demonstrate that “sustainable business practices can be beneficial both to Frontier’s bottom line and the environment in which they operate”.

• Development of a comprehensive CSR curriculum to incorporate into the CUBIC program. The CU Business Intensive Certificate (CUBIC) program is a three-week non-credit, certification program that teaches fundamental business skills, the importance of group work, and career development skills to non-business majors.

• Consultancy with Crocs to help streamline and enhance their current CSR efforts and also to research CSR initiatives that other companies of similar size were pursuing.

• Consultancy as a group with the Association for Experiential Education (AEE), a nonprofit, professional membership association aimed at improving the quality of and increasing recognition of experiential education worldwide. The group worked to address the organization’s problems of low membership and stagnant development.

• Volunteer work with Musana, an orphanage in Uganda founded by three University of Colorado students.

Students also fulfilled the experiential learning requirement through courses such as Business Solutions to the Developing World.  Examples of class projects completed through this course included:

• Designed a competitor analysis and expansion plan for a non-profit that provides water filtration systems to poor communities around the world.

• Created a business plan for young people starting social ventures in Egypt through a non-profit offering business training, entrepreneurial education, mentoring and ongoing support.

• Provided support for a non-profit that distributes solar-powered lights, clean-burning cook stoves and similar technologies. They also created a distribution strategy for solar-powered lights for the Navajo Nation, and performed industry/marketplace analysis and developed marketing, operations, and financial strategies for Namibia.

Would you like to join an entrepreneurial team out to change the world? The Unreasonable Institute is hiring! Each year, Unreasonable runs a 6-week program for 25 entrepreneurs from across the globe tackling the greatest social and environmental challenges of our time. It’s goal is to provide these entrepreneurs with guidance from 50 mentors, access to capital, and a global network or support so their ventures will one day reach at least 1 million people!

They are looking to hire a Communications & Marketing Officer (apply by March 27), a Program Manager (apply by April 6), and a Summer Associate (apply by April 6). Information on their open positions can be found at http://unreasonableinstitute.org/opportunities.

Eric Stout graduated in December 2008 with a major in Finance, a minor in Economics, and a Certificate in Entrepreneurship. Eric is a Relationship Manager on the Private Equity Services team at Silicon Valley Bank. In this role, he is responsible for providing specialized banking services to venture capital and private equity clients to meet the unique needs of their industry.

Eric recently took time out of his busy week for an interview about his involvement with CESR. Thank you so much, Eric, you are an inspiration.

Why do you, as a recent alumnus, donate to CU? Why do you think it is important for young alumni, to donate to their alma mater? I believe it is important to stay plugged in as a young alumnus because our perspective can sometimes be more valuable to the students than more seasoned professionals. Being active in the school and showing support financially keeps you tied to the future of the programs that make up the foundation of your career. Donating to the school also shows how much influence the alumni network has, which is something that can help the school find donors or reallocate resources.

You have set up a monthly donation plan. Why is that? Yes. It is much easier to give smaller amounts monthly than one large sum. As cash is typically tighter for young alumni, it is a great way to get involved, stay connected, and yet not break the bank.

You have earmarked your donations to go directly to CESR, why did you set it up that way? The CESR program has proven to be the most valuable coursework of my college career with its unique classroom interaction. By challenging my morals and the thought processes behind them, the program created an awareness of the ethical issues that I will be unable to ignore as I strive to become a future business leader. It also inspired a healthy passion to challenge the norms of business, which has and will play a major role in my career development and progression. Based on this, I decided to give specifically to the CESR program rather than the general Business School.

Besides giving, what other involvement do you have with CU and why? I have had the privilege to join the Junior Board for the CESR program which is a group of young alumni dedicated to the values and vision of CESR. Though I don’t have the resources to give that an older alumni may have, I do have time and perspective that can be valuable to the program. As such, I now serve as the Chair of the board, and I’m honored to be involved with such a distinguished program.

In what ways are you pushing boundaries in your field?   In what ways is your work involved in a global context and how has your business education prepared you for that? I continuously challenge the processes in which my organization operates, which is a trait my CESR and Deming Center educations taught me. Since I work for a bank, there can be a lot of inefficiencies that in the end can hinder our clients’ goals and desires (timelines, etc.). By my willingness to take on these operational inefficiencies, I have been able to not only distinguish myself among my peer group, but also meet deadlines and solve client problems that might not otherwise be met by my organization (or any bank for that matter). In addition, I have made it a priority to work only for a firm that holds the same values as I do, which in banking can be a challenge. I may work for the only bank that values the creativity, ethics, and drive that I consider so important.

What are some of the distinguishing factors that make a business education based on social responsibility and values more meaningful and relevant to you? The thing I valued most about my CESR education was how hands on the classroom experience was. It wasn’t solely focused on papers or readings, but rather large group discussions and presentations that forced you to verbally express your feelings about certain questionable situations. I believe this builds the confidence to speak out in the workplace when similar situations arise.

In the midst of an icy March snowstorm, over 200 students and faculty, from 8 regional universities and many local organizations, gathered in CU’s Wolf Law building for CESR’s third annual Conscious Capitalism Conference, “Harnessing the Engine of Business for Social Impact”. Four exemplary business entrepreneurs, who make values driven decisions in their everyday worklife, challenged attendees to think creatively about social responsibility and the utilization of capitalism to serve social needs.

Andrew Romanoff, Senior Advisor at International Development Enterprises (IDE) and former Speaker of the House, Colorado House of Representatives, shared how IDE works to equip third world citizens  with products uniquely designed to help them support their families and lift their communities from disease, malnutrition, and lack of clean water. Romanoff stressed the importance of teaching citizens to operate their own small businesses, for example through viable farming practices. He even invited CESR Director Donna Sockell on stage to demonstrate how to use a water pump!

Kent Thiry, Chairman and CEO of DaVita Inc., discussed the unique company culture he has woven into the daily operations of the kidney dialysis provider. Thiry, the “village mayor” encourages a sense of trust and community among the 34,000 company “villagers”. Thiry inspires this large workforce in fun, unconventional and highly effective ways. This interaction with the “villagers” has lent them a sense of empowerment, both in their careers and personal lives.

David Wolf, Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer of BSW Wealth Partners, introduced the concept of Sinek’s “Golden Circle”, a model for inspirational leadership and effecting change.  Wolf explained that everyone on the planet knows what they do, some people know how they do it, but very few people, companies and organizations take time to consider the essential question of why they do what they do.

Erin Weed, founder and CEO of Girls Fight Back and former Community Team Consultant of Ashoka Changemakers, introduced the “organizational ecosystem”, a newly developed model for identifying key players in any social change effort, which resonated with the young social entrepreneurs in the room. In response to Weed’s encouragement to follow our passions and make positive contributions to the world despite the challenges we may face along the way, one student commented, “It was a pat on the back and a kick in the pants – a good balance of affirmation, validation and motivation to do more.”

A CSR panel, moderated by Dr. Seana Lowe Steffen, Executive Director of Restorative Leadership Institute, allowed students to interact with panelists Lara Hussain of Texas Instruments, Melanie Miller of Newmont Mining, and Kathrine Story of White Wave.  All three shared their perspectives as “intrapraneurs” working toward a positive social impact within larger corporations.

Thank you to our co-sponsors, Colorado State University and ICOSA, our student and faculty attendees and to the CESR staff who worked hard to bring our region’s current and future social entrepreneurs under one roof!

CESR Alumna Evokes CESR and Lands a Job

When Kathleen (Kat) McBride, interviewed with Price Waterhouse Coopers’ Boston office last fall, competition was tough. “My fellow interviewees were extremely bright and had graduated from various prestigious universities,” Kat said. When asked about the Leeds School of Business during her interview, she highlighted the Center for Education on Social Responsibility (CESR) program. When asked about the Leeds School, “I explained why I was proud to be a Leeds student and that I was especially proud of the CESR program. I shared information about the CESR curriculum with my interviewer who was immediately intrigued and impressed.” During the post-interview networking event, a group of partners approached Kat wanting to hear more about Leeds’ CESR program. Kat said, “They simply loved that ethics were integrated into our business education. The accounting profession demands a high level of integrity and they wished all colleges would teach what Leeds does. It was a very proud moment for me and I am happy to say I got the job!” At Price Waterhouse Cooper Kat will start as an Assurance Associate in the Denver office, and from there transition to an international rotation.

The Leeds 5 Year BS/MS Program and Student Life

Kat, who will be graduating in just a few months (May 2012) with a M.S. in Accounting is a 5th year MS student.  This program gives students the opportunity to receive their BS and MS degree in 5 years.  In addition, students are prepared to sit for the CPA exam (for which she is studying  now).  “The program is difficult and requires hard work and dedication, yet the amount of material that I have learned in my extra year is extraordinary and I feel very qualified to enter the field of accounting,” said Kat.

During her years at Leeds, Kat has been an engaged student. “Because I feel so passionately about Leeds, I have been very involved in Leeds throughout my 5 years in attendance.  I am currently a TA for Business Statistics and have been on the executive board of Alpha Kappa Psi, a member of Leeds Council, a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, in the PMP program, and sat on Dean’s Cabinet, among others.”

CESR Coursework

In addition to the required CESR courses including the junior level, “Business Applications of Social Responsibility”, Kat completed the highly selective, CESR flagship elective course “Leadership Challenges: Exercises in Moral Courage”.  “Leadership Challenges”, said Kat “was one of my favorite classes at Leeds. It truly developed my moral courage, reinforced my values and granted me the unique opportunity to meet with executives and participate in a classroom environment that mirrors a real-world professional environment. I believe that the most important take-away from my CESR education is awareness.  I am now conscious of ethical dilemmas in both my professional and personal life.  I have the tools to make educated decisions with a high level of integrity.  Integrity is particularly important in the field of accountancy as it is a foundation of being a CPA.”

In sum, Kat had this to say about her Leeds experience:“Overall, I am honored to be a Leeds student. I feel Leeds has given me the tools to succeed in the real world by providing a strong education and a competitive advantage by incorporating the CESR program.” Thank you Kat, we are honored to have you as a student and soon to be alumnus!