
The Right Here, Right Now summit helps showcase ways faculty, centers and alumni can tackle climate change. “
Leeds School of Business has discussions on Right Here, Right Now, but it has also long integrated ideas such as sustainability and ESG into its curricula, helping to prepare students for a world of business changing behavior and regulation. Below right is Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility in Leeds and a moderator of a panel session.
Until climate change became part of the global discussion, there was a suggestion – if not outright blame – that the crisis was largely the fault of business.
“That narrative is starting to change,” said Kathryn Wendell, executive director of the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility in Leeds. “Industry leaders are increasingly expressing how their businesses can play a role in solving this crisis in a social way. There is a business case and a moral imperative driving the commitments and actions of private sector.
As the University of Colorado Boulder and United Nations Human Rights kicked off the Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit, Wendell said it’s important to understand that when it comes to solving this crisis, industry needs a seat at the table, rather than a say. . to stand in the corner.
‘An incredible time’ to be part of innovative solutions
“We will see many changes over the next decade, especially as companies integrate sustainability—including climate and diversity, compatibility, and inclusion considerations—into their core business strategies,” said he. “For business students, this is a wonderful time to learn about issues and identify new solutions.”
Wendell facilitated a panel discussion on business responsibility in the climate crisis, especially from a human rights perspective, which will take place December 3 at 4 p.m. The panel will be introduced by Yonca Ertimur, acting dean of Leeds.
“At Leeds, we have had a strong focus on values-based leadership for over 20 years,” says Ertimur. “It’s integrated into our curriculum, faculty research, corporate partnerships and pretty much everything we do.”
A quick look at the unique differences in Leeds shows that. In addition to offering topical programming and business and climate events, CESR serves as a bridge between Leeds and the sustainable business community in Boulder and beyond. The center also provides input that oversees the creation of academic programs, including a new ESG and sustainability specialization for the MBA and a certificate in social and ethical responsibility.
CESR is also a keen partner in working with other centers in Leeds to address these important issues. Last month, CESR and the Burridge Center for Finance hosted a panel discussion on careers in sustainability featuring professionals from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, PNC and others. The conversation touched on ESG, the financial innovations needed to make the case for so-called “green portfolios” and the changing regulatory environment around climate-related disclosures.
That effect goes beyond the Leeds centres, however. Last year, when CU Boulder cut the ribbon on the Rusandy Building—the newest academic facility on campus—it marked the physical link between the disciplines of business and engineering, which are already working together in the service of solving complex problems.
Few problems are as complex as climate change, but the cross-disciplinary approach at Leeds and the College of Engineering & Applied Science is paving the way for effective teaching and research.
Julie Gentile (EnvEngr’24) is part of the BE Women in Tech program, a cross-disciplinary cohort that offers technical, business and leadership training to female students. He is excited to use what he has learned to create practical solutions to the climate crisis.
“I plan to create products and systems that reverse or reduce the negative effects of our industrial society on the environment,” said Gentile, a campus research assistant interning at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. “But there must be business collaboration for success.”
At a Right Here, Right Now kickoff event, CU’s business and engineering faculty showcased some of the interdisciplinary research that is solving this crisis. Among the faculty presenting is Jeffrey York, director of research for the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship and a firm believer in a future where founders are aware of climate change.
York co-authored a paper, forthcoming in Organization Science, that explores how entrepreneurship is a promising, but often overlooked, force for climate change mitigation.
“Entrepreneurs are creating for-profit businesses that can address climate change in a way that government and activists cannot,” said York, who is also chairman of Leeds’ social responsibility and sustainability division.
Research that influences classroom activities
That entrepreneurial emphasis is clearly felt in the classroom, too. A team of Leeds students have won the campus New Venture Challenge Climate Prize for their business concept, Aagraze, which produces seaweed feed pellets for cattle that can reduce emissions. Another recent graduate created a nonprofit to encourage children to be passionate about ocean conservation.
“Climate risk and resilience—not just how we reduce impact, but how we adapt—are moving forward, which means new skills and ways of thinking will be valued..”
Colette Crouse (MBA’18), director of carbon services, Stok
With the founding of Sea the Change, Emma Pearson (Fin, EBio’22) trained business skills that she used as an intern at the Boston Consulting Group, which she wanted to join after graduation, thanks to the company’s work in sustainability.
“BCG is really focusing their practice on climate and their sustainability measures and initiatives,” said Pearson, a partner at the firm. “I am very excited to be involved in that, especially in the conservation sector. It’s great to work for a company whose values I agree with. “
Leeds Alumni graduate programs also apply to Leeds’ emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility at work, where their knowledge and skills can help companies create and achieve ambitious climate goals. as good for the planet as it is for income.
Tim Weiss (MBA’16) went to grad school to better immerse himself in the Boulder community, but it helped him build the skills and network necessary to found Optera, where he is also the chief operating officer. . The company is a sustainability software provider that works with companies in tech, retail, oil and gas, and mining.
Getting to ‘those hard problems’
“We want to work with companies that matter,” Weiss said. “When we’re working with a major manufacturer, or someone at the foundation of the supply chain in the corporate world, our impact is much greater, and it’s much more important. We’re trying to solve those difficult problems. “
Colette Crouse (MBA’18) has a career in sustainability, but it’s primarily in government and nonprofit. He chose Leeds for his MBA so he could make a broader business case for sustainability and make a bigger impact through his work.
He is director of Stok’s carbon services, offering clients expertise in areas such as greenhouse gas accounting, regulatory and disclosure frameworks, supply chain strategy, and budgeting. Those kinds of services are poised to emerge as regulatory conversations about climate impact begin to shift.
“Traditionally, the industry has looked ahead, focused on climate mitigation and reduction. Now, the conversation is slowly shifting to what we do now—because we have a problem,” said “That’s why climate risk and resilience – not just how we reduce the impact, but how we adapt – are moving forward, which means that new skills and ways of thinking will be valued. There are many opportunities for anyone interested in working in this space. “
That’s a sentiment Weiss echoed.
“A lot of people think of climate change as a geopolitical issue. We see it as an economic issue,” he said. “Although regulation can help solve this problem, that regulation requires action among companies—so we go directly to companies to help them do business better.”
Why Leeds Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility Here, Now