2019-2020 Events

Victoria Cheng ’12, director of venture investing at Citi, holds a leadership role in the Citi Impact Fund, which launched with the objective of making venture capital investments in startups that have a positive impact on society. At this event, Victoria discussed Citi’s approach to addressing four key societal challenges — sustainability, infrastructure, workforce development, and financial inclusion — as well as what she is seeing in the venture space from the perspective of a large organization.

Katie Neff, ’20BUS ’20SIPA, hosted an info session for students and alumni of Columbia University to learn about the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures, the application process, upcoming deadlines, and qualifications to apply.

Advisory board member Shaiza Rizavi ’96, managing member and portfolio manager at Gilder Gagnon Howe & Co. LLC, moderated a dynamic fireside chat discussion with Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen, on her new book, Manifesto for a Moral Revolution: Practices to Build a Better World. Drawing on inspiring stories from change-makers around the world and on memories of her own most difficult experiences, Jacqueline divulged into the most common leadership mistakes and the mindsets needed to rise above them. The culmination of thirty years of work developing sustainable solutions for the problems of the poor, Manifesto for a Moral Revolution offers the perspectives necessary for all those — whether ascending the corporate ladder or bringing solar light to rural villages — who seek to leave this world better off than they found it..
Organized by Acumen and the center.

As part of the Leadership Speaker Series, Professor Bruce Usher moderated a discussion with Ethan Brown ’08, founder and CEO of Beyond Meat, on his career path in clean energy sector and his pathway to launching and scaling Beyond Meat in 2009. Today, Beyond Meat sells products in more than 77,000 retail and food service outlets in more than 65 countries worldwide. In this webinar, Ethan shared insights on how his passion for improving the climate, health, and animal welfare conditions can be solved through reinventing the protein we consume on our plate.
Organized by the Dean’s Office.

Nick LaCava ’15, delivery unit advisor in the President’s Office; Elena Mayer ’16, deputy director of program quality strategy in the Crisis Response Recovery and Development Department; and Sarah Polen ’00, deputy director of regional function and programme development in the Awards Management Unit, work in three different departments at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a $750M/year humanitarian aid organization with a mission to help people whose lives and livelihoods have been shattered by conflict and disaster. Among the three of them, they work on some of the organization’s greatest challenges: how to create, monitor, and implement an organizational strategy; how to ensure high-quality and sustainable funding for a variety of teams and national offices; and how to position IRC competitively in an increasingly challenging donor, operational, and programmatic environment — all while the number of refugee and displaced individuals around the world climbs. In this breakfast discussion, Nick, Elena, and Sarah shared what led them to IRC, as well as how they use business and strategy skills to support the organization.

Barnet Sherman, ’82SIPA is the founder and senior managing partner of The Tenbar Group, a firm dedicated to transformational impact through pursuing environmental, social, governance, and impact investment mandates. Barnet discussed carving out a career in the rapidly evolving field of ESG, sustainability, and impact investing, including how to never be unemployed, anticipating and negotiating career pivots, the key role of dumb luck, and a pretty close to near fail-proof job search and resume formula.

The need for affordable housing, which has been at the forefront of NYC’s most pressing challenges, has intensified over the past few months. As New York City families lose critical employment and income in the wake of COVID-19, organizations such as Win, which provides housing and supportive services to homeless women and children, are of ever-increasing importance. Win released a detailed aftermath plan to help local and federal officials respond, noting that “the COVID-19 crisis is compounding the reasons why 75 percent of Win families became homeless (domestic violence, eviction, overcrowding).” In this webinar conversation, Christine Quinn, president and CEO at Win, discussed the necessary steps needed to provide stability to New York’s most vulnerable citizens with moderator Rachel Diller ’99, managing partner at UrbanView Capital and former adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.

A trailblazer to her core, Joyce Roché ’72, author; board director at Macy’s, Inc. and Tupperware Brands Corporation; former board director of AT&T, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. and May Department Stores; and former president and CEO of Girls Inc., has forged a career path in corporate America as the first female African American vice president of Avon, president of Carson Products, and CEO of Girls Inc. Moderator Alfred H. Drewes ’82, director of Executive in Residence Program at Columbia Business School, led a dynamic discussion with Joyce that explored her career path to uncover stories about leading from the frontlines during a crisis, organizational resiliency and risk mitigation, nonprofit management, challenging the status quo around hiring, and embracing your self-worth. Roché shared executive insights and her board perspectives across many companies and organizations that have faced uncertainty during a time of crisis, how to prepare for and implement resiliency strategies to mitigate risks, and how organizations respond and adapt to market disruptions. Roché also discussed her strategies and nonprofit leadership experience and what leaders should focus on to continue serving their constituencies. A first in many positions, Roché has successfully navigated corporate politics to advance her career. She shared strategies and tactics in career advancement and overcoming the impostor syndrome when you are different.
Organized by the Executive in Residence Program and center.

How do you make sustainability accessible - and relevant - to the average shopper? Lex Kiefhaber ’17, founder and host of Who’s Saving the Planet, created a podcast focused on the intersection of sustainability, technology, and entrepreneurship to drive awareness of start-ups building the products that will save the planet and serve as a cornerstone for building consumer demand for sustainable products. During this breakfast webinar, Lex shared insights into her start-up, podcasting, and the sustainability sector.

While Closed Loop Partners has been investing in the circular economy for years, COVID-19 has pressingly demonstrated the need for a transition to more resilient supply chains in global industries. Kicking off the webinar, Jeff Denby, co-founder of The Renewal Workshop, a Closed Loop portfolio company, discussed his team’s efforts to eliminate waste in apparel and textile manufacturing. Ron Gonen ’04, founder and CEO of Closed Loop Partners, examined the roles of transparency and collaboration in this process, as well as how his firm supports companies aiding in the transformation. Together, Jeff and Ron discussed the current racial disparities in the US and how circular economy practices help protect and uplift marginalized communities through organizational and public policies.

During shelter-in-place and remote work, the center launched a monthly check-in virtual meeting with the 2020 summer fellows cohort as a way to create a community for fellows to connect online. Fellows gathered together to discuss best practices for working from home, hear about the social impact projects fellows are working on, and meet each other. The discussion also served as an opportunity for fellows to reflect on the current pandemic and protests in the United States as members of the cohort shared personal stories.

Responsibility is key to resilience and critical for business leaders to consider in their response to a crisis or economic slowdown. Now more than ever, it is clear that the business and investor community — and society at large — benefit when leaders incorporate the interests of a broad set of stakeholders to rapidly adapt and respond to business disruptions, safeguard people and assets, and maintain continuous operations during times of uncertainty. The current coronavirus pandemic has exposed some of the risks in the United States and around the globe for businesses and investors that have not created resiliency plans. Conversely, those with strong responsible track records and commitments have fared relatively well in the crisis. Economic recovery for individuals, small and large businesses, and society at large will require human and financial capital, ingenuity, and innovative public-private partnerships. This webinar discussion — with leaders in impact investing and responsible corporate behavior — explored ways in which business leaders and investors can better understand, plan for, and mitigate risk, and create sustainable financial value during times of crisis, by following the principles of socially responsible businesses and incorporating ESG and impact investing strategies into their portfolio. Panelists included Liz Luckett ’90CC, managing partner of the Social Entrepreneurs Fund, Nick Maynard, senior vice president for commonwealth, and Martin Whittaker, CEO of Just Capital, and moderator Georgia Levenson Keohane, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School.

The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered arts and cultural centers and cut off employment opportunities for creative workers across the globe. Yet in this time of global need, the value of creativity and expression is heightened. Many arts organizations have responded to the crisis by providing free shows, concerts, art tutorials, and performances for stay-at-home viewers. Global Citizen brought together 70 musical acts and performances on Saturday, April 18 to raise $127.9 million to benefit the World Health Organization (WHO) and local and regional responders to COVID-19. In this crucial discussion, Lane Harwell ’12, program officer of creativity and free expression at Ford Foundation, brought together Cheryl Anhava, program officer of cultural investments, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone; Erika Dilday ’94BUS ’93JRN, CEO and executive director, Futuro Media Group; and Ty Jones, producing artistic director, Classical Theatre of Harlem, to moderate a conversation around how the local sector is responding to the current pandemic and what it will take to revitalize the sector post-pandemic.

GBC and SEC members joined Margaret Coady ’09, VP of diversity, inclusion, and impact communications at Prudential Financial, for a dynamic discussion on corporate purpose and the future of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Margaret shared insights on CSR and diversity and inclusion from her 25-year career in working at Prudential Financial, Tapestry, and CECP, among other organizations. Over the course of her career, Margaret has led the alignment of Coach's business and philanthropic goals, creating the first values-forward campaign; launched Tapestry’s first public social responsibility website on ESG and sustainability; and established CECP's forum as the leading convener of purpose-driven CEOs.

The coronavirus pandemic has brought to light the significance of risk mitigation for business leaders. In comparison to the S&P 500, ESG funds are outperforming the broader market during the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic. The question then becomes, are investment funds that consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria a better bet in a time of crisis? In this webinar, Mark Zurack, Senior Lecturer of Discipline in Business for the Executives in Residence Program, moderated a discussion with panelists on ESG assessment criteria, economic impacts from the current pandemic, and suggestions for how business leaders might better mitigate future risk during a pandemic. Panelists shared insights into why they feel ESG investment funds are outperforming the market during this pandemic, and where they see things going for the future. Panelists included Harun Dogo, executive director of global sustainable finance at Morgan Stanley; John Goldstein, head of the sustainable finance group at Goldman Sachs; and Mary Jane McQuillen ’07, managing director, portfolio manager, and head of ESG investment at ClearBridge Investments.

Financial services leaders and advisory board member Ciara Burnham ’93, partner at QED Investors; Fabrizio Gallo, global head of equities at Bank of America; and John Moon, managing director and head of energy at Morgan Stanley Private Equity, discussed how the current economic crisis is affecting venture capital, equity trading, and private equity.
Organized by the Program for Financial Studies (PFS).

Cross-campus recipients of the SESF program met with Ivy Hatsengate, director of advising and strategic projects at the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, to go over logistics of and preparations for their summer internship.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit many sectors hard, but what can we learned from times of crisis? Tony Bowen, lead consultant for Fiscal Management Associates (FMA); Chai Jindasurat, policy director at Nonprofit New York; and Katie Leonberger ’08, president and CEO of Community Resource Exchange (CRE), held a dynamic conversation on building and maintaining nonprofit resiliency to help nonprofits withstand market fluctuations to continue to serve vulnerable communities. Panelists discussed strategies and best practices for nonprofits to recover from setbacks, adapt to change, and lead in the face of adversity and times of crisis, including applications for PPP, SBA loans, and fiscal management and fundraising strategies.
Organized by Programs in Social Enterprise, Executive Education at Columbia Business School, and the center.

Across sectors and industries, organizations are heeding both internal and external pressures to include ESG prominently in their investment and disclosure strategies. Harry Etra ’16, CEO and founder of HXE Partners, spoke about his experiences leading a firm that advises on how to do this effectively, as well as provide an early examination of ESG funds in the context of COVID-19.

This competition was held for anyone in the early stages of an environmental or social venture, from an idea to prototype or pilot. Participants in this rapid-fire competition gave their 90-second pitch, followed by a 3-minute Q&A from the judges. Pitch presenters were evaluated on the quality of their pitch, idea, and the social/environmental impact. First place received a one-week supply of meals from Eat Offbeat, a Tamer Fund for Social Venture recipient, and second place received a three-day supply of meals from Ox Verte.

The Three Cairns Climate Fellowship provides support to MBA/EMBA students who complete semester- or year-long projects at the intersection of climate change and business. The fellowship was endowed by Lise Strickler ’86 and Mark Gallogly ’86. Each fellow presented their project to peers in the program, donors, client organizations, and community members. Eleven project teams, each ranging from one to four fellows, for a total of 29 MBA students, conducted climate change-related research to eight unique clients. The student teams presented their projects to their peers, the donors, the client organizations, and Business School community members.

Members of the GBC joined Sam Malin ’20, Nick Franco ’21, and Matt Guevara ’20 for a discussion on environmental business and to close out the academic year. Speakers presented on the following topics, respectively: repurposing plastic waste for cement production, integrating renewables into the grid, and overview of global carbon markets.
Organized by the GBC.

This lecture examined the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on American and international political economies. Ray Horton, Frank R. Lautenberg Professor of Ethics and Corporate Governance, faculty director of Programs in Social Enterprise, and founder of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School; R. Glenn Hubbard, Dean Emeritus, Russell L. Carson Professor of Finance and Economics, and faculty director of the Chazen Institute for Global Business at Columbia Business School; and Tano Santos, David L. and Elsie M. Dodd Professor of Finance and co-director of the Heilbrunn Center for Graham and Dodd Investing at Columbia Business School, discussed ways in which business leaders might adapt business policy in response to the evolving pandemic.

Josh Landay ’18, chief operating officer of Building for the Arts; Allison Kline ’20, director of institutional giving at Park Avenue Armory; Anna Boatwright ’19, head of business strategy at the Frick Collection; and Roberta Pereira, producing director of the Playwrights Realm, discussed what the arts industry needs most in light of the current coronavirus pandemic and what individuals in the Business School community can do to help out the arts sector.
Organized by the Columbia Business School Arts Society.

During the GBC Earth Week series, members attended a lunch-and-learn on climate change and supply chain disruption.
Organized by the GBC.

This workshop was for anyone in the early stages of an environmental or social venture. Attendees joined Katie Neff, ’20BUS ’20SIPA, as she walked them through the fundamentals of an effective social venture pitch. Following the presentation, participants had the chance to practice their pitch in small groups to get immediate feedback.

During the GBC Earth Week series, members learned about the business opportunities in carbon capture and sequestration.
Organized by the GBC.

Dalberg Advisors, a strategy and policy advisory firm, presented to members of the Social Enterprise Club on their work in international development consulting. Members gained insights into working in this space through an interactive case demonstration.
Organized by the SEC.

During the GBC Earth Week series, members joined this session to learn about the impacts of climate change on real estate across the world.
Organized by the GBC.

Students in Pangea Advisory joined three members of Dalberg Advisors, including Mark Pedersen ’07, to learn about Dalberg’s work in international development consulting and gain insights into social impact consulting through an interactive case demonstration.
Organized by Pangea Advisors, within the SEC.

The top eight NBLP projects presented to a panel of judges to select the top three projects. Winners of the top three projects received a cash prize donated to their project organization. Judges included adjunct professor Doug Bauer, executive director of the Clark Foundation, and adjunct professor Amy Houston, the Thompson Family Foundation. This year, first place went to Caitlin Herling ’20 and Rebecca Schwartz ’21 for their project with Women in Need (WIN); second place went to Meg Johnson, ’20BUS ’20TC, Conor O’Boyle ’21 and Letty Perez ’21 for their project with Gilder Lehrman Institutel and third place went to Elizabeth Mauban ’20 and Jenny Tromski ’20 for their project with Film at Lincoln Center.
Organized by the NBLP, within the Social Enterprise Club (SEC), and center.

The center held an info session to discuss the fall 2020 REAP Immersion Course, where students teach financial literacy and entrepreneurship to participants of the REAP program.

As part of Columbia Business School’s Leadership and Ethics Week, Melissa Berman, president and CEO of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, and advisory board member of the center; Chris Cardona, program officer of philanthropy at Ford Foundation; and Anuar Juraidini, program officer at Citi Foundation, discussed philanthropy and crisis response in the wake of COVID-19. The discussion covered the responsibility of philanthropy in moments of crisis and explored the tension between responsive solutions and long-standing priorities, core values, and areas of expertise. This conversation was moderated by Allison Kline ’20.
Organized by the SLEB of the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co Center for Leadership and Ethics Center.

This interactive workshop provided a space to for attendees to explore what the future “new normal” might look like. At some point in the near future, we will hopefully return to in-person interactions in our social and work lives. With the prompt of “Imagine it is September 2020, five months from now, and the COVID-19 curve has flattened and is on the decline”, attendees in this workshop brainstormed what their top three concerns would be as they reenter the workforce and social life.

Seeing your current impact allows us to move closer to purpose in a way that’s not intimidating or overwhelming but optimizes what we’re already doing and reveals low-hanging fruit ways to do more. Participants of this webinar joined Nell Derick Debevoise ’12, founder and CEO of Inspiring Capital, a certified B Corp, for an interactive session on the business case for working and living with purpose based on neuroscience and applied research. Nell shared her proprietary framework to help participants map their own points of impact in their everyday personal and professional lives. Participants learned data and anecdotal support for the benefits of living and working with purpose, the connection between mundane day-to-day impact in all parts of our life and work and how they ladder up to purpose, and how to map their impact on IC's proprietary My Why dashboard and commit to a single habit to increase impact.
Organized by the SLEB of the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co Center for Leadership and Ethics Center.

The center held an info session to discuss the fall 2020 REAP Immersion Course, where students teach financial literacy and entrepreneurship to participants of the REAP program.

As part of Columbia Business School’s Leadership and Ethics Week, Columbia University Professors Jason Bordoff and Bruce Usher discussed the impacts of COVID-19 on the climate hosted a fireside chat on climate finance and policy. The global economic slowdown caused by COVID-19 has led to reports of clearer skies and dolphins returning to streams. China's carbon emissions declined 25 percent caused by the abrupt halt of industrial manufacturing. However, these transient environmental benefits belie longer term challenges, and the net impact that the pandemic has on our efforts to address the climate crisis are in question.
Organized by the Student Leadership and Ethics Board (SLEB) of the Sanford C. Bernstein & Co Center for Leadership and Ethics Center.

Food insecurity is among the myriad crises that have been heightened during the current pandemic. Food pantries, restaurants, and even hospitals have been forced to adapt and innovate in the face of this issue as they consider the well-being of their employees, customers, senior citizens, and other vulnerable populations. Panelists Emma Hulse, manager at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital; Katherine Miller, vice president of impact at James Beard Foundation; and Greg Silverman, executive director of West Side Campaign Against Hunger, discussed how the restaurant industry, food pantries, nonprofits, and hospitals are responding to COVID-19 by supporting efforts to provide food to those in need, vulnerable populations, and individuals who are in food insecure environments. The panelists also discussed ways in which individuals can volunteer or provide financial support to organizations helping to provide food to insecure and in need communities.

Cynthia Remec, executive director and founder of BoardAssist, held an informational webinar session for Columbia Business School alumni and students interested in joining a nonprofit board. Joining a board can be an important opportunity to provide essential assistance to nonprofits who might be struggling to meet client demand and in need of extra support due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cynthia highlighted where to start your board search, how to source open board positions, and what to consider before joining. BoardAsisst helps personally match professionals with a nonprofit board, working closely with their board candidates to make sure the correct match is made. Board matches take into consideration variables such as the size of the organization, cultural fit, financial commitment, and location. There is no fee for this service, as BoardAssist is a nonprofit themselves.
Organized by BoardAssist and the center.

Zero Carbon Coffee is a new company that creates carbon-neutral coffee through their efficient manufacturing process and buying carbon offsets, and they are aiming to increase efficiency through scale.
Organized by the GBC.

SESF supports students engaged in summer internships with nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations (or its equivalent outside the United States), NGOs, public sector/government organizations, and for-profit social ventures with a clearly defined social or environmental purpose incorporated into the core reason for operation. The center is committed to funding all eligible internships for first and second-year MBA students. Ivy Hatsengate, director of advising and strategic projects at the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, provided an update on the SESF program and the application guidelines for students who missed the previous presentation, as well as shared insights on the program’s expansion for the summer of 2020. Laura Dreese ’20 and Sam Malin ’20 shared insights on their enterprise internship search and networking, and helped answer any general SESF program questions.

As we enter this new decade, we are rapidly approaching the deadlines we have set to protect our planet. This year's symposium brings together representatives from the world's most powerful industries to discuss the role of business in addressing today's pressing sustainability challenges. Panel topics included the following: Industry Leaders Shaping the Sustainability Agenda, Driving Innovation: Making Zero Waste Mainstream, The Big Energy Transition, and Finance as an Enabler to Reach the Climate Goals, which featured Professor Bruce Usher.
Organized by the School of Professional Studies, Earth Institute, and Sustainability Management Student Association at Columbia University.

Club members heard from panelists who are uniquely positioned to provide diverse perspectives on sustainability, drawing from their rich experiences across energy-focused tech ventures, energy providers, private equity firms, integrated services providers, and strategic investment platforms, to name a few.
Organized by the GBC and SEC.

Participants of the NBLP gathered together for a lunch to discuss progress on their projects and resources available to them.
Organized by the NBLP leadership team, within the SEC, and center.

Behavioral economics is a Nobel Prize-recognized framework that highlights the critical role of human perception and decision-making in making financial choices. People don’t always opt for choices that are economically sound on paper, yet small changes in how choices are presented can encourage people to act much more in their self-interest. This approach has been applied creatively in economic development and financial inclusion policies, in fintech innovations and social enterprise launches, and in impact investing and non-profit donor dynamics. The panel shared examples of situations where accounting for human behavior has driven exceptionally successful programs and will offer thoughts for incorporating behavioral economics lessons in your own projects and career. Panelists included Manasee Desai, vice president at ideas42; Dan Egan, managing director of Behavioral Science & Investing at Betterment; and Howard Levy, president of Red Rooster Group; and was moderated by Matt Wallaert, author of Start at the End: How to Build Products that Create Change.
Organized by Impact Capital Forum, SEC, and Microlumbia Impact Fund.

Pangea Advisors held a competition for the top three student consulting teams from the fall semester. After presenting on the objectives, methods, and deliverables of their projects to a panel of judges, including a member of the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio, the top team was determined and awarded a prize. This was an opportunity for members of Pangea Advisors and those interested in joining the organization to hear from and celebrate successful teams.

Students interested in a career in the social enterprise sector joined Erin Ewart ’09 of Careers for Social Impact to help define a plan and strategy for a social impact job search. During this highly interactive workshop, participants learned tactics for effective networking and tools for identifying job opportunities in the social impact sector; effective strategies for highlighting relevant experience on your resume to create a compelling social impact career story; navigation tools for the unique aspects of a social impact job search; and how to remain resilient and course correct if not seeing desired results. Participants left this workshop being able to better define their ideal social impact and career search strategies to help direct them towards their career goals.

This panel explored the topic of gender equality through the lens of both the public and private sectors, including an award winning social enterprise that connects refugees and displaced persons with work opportunities; a nonprofit that funds, nurtures, and shares women-driven solutions; as well as a consulting agency that specializes in cultivating inclusive organizational culture. Panelists included Julia Fan, ’16SIPA, knowledge and program manager at WomenStrong International; Jass Osrow, co-founder of the Rise Journey; and Aline Sara, ’14SIPA, co-founder and CEO of NaTakallam, and was moderated by Cynthia Hellen, a Peruvian-American social entrepreneur who is founder and CEO of SMPLCT Lab.
Organized by the SEC.

Supporters of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise and past Awards Breakfast events gathered together at the home of Mimi ’90, and Michael ’90 Boublik to kick off the 2020 Awards Breakfast at the Host Committee Reception. At this reception, the center and committee introduced S. Mona Sinha ’93 with the 2020 Horton Award for Excellence in Social Enterprise and Andrea Turner Moffitt ’07 with the 2020 Social Enterprise Leadership Award. Gwen Shufro ’06, Professor Bruce Usher, and Sandra Navalli OAM ’03, gave remarks about the importance of the social enterprise sector and the center’s work at the Business School, as well as thanked supporters of the center and its mission.
Organized by the Awards Breakfast Host Committee and center.

First- and second-year students interested in social impact careers attended this panel discussion and breakout group networking conversations to learn about possible career paths in the social enterprise sector. Panelists shared their experience, career path, and insights about pursuing a career in impact investing, education, sustainability, green business, financial inclusion, and more. Speakers included Nellie Beach ’19, NYC Office of Management and Budget; Michelle Dervan ’14, ReThink Education; Ting Ting Guo ’16, formerly PenguinPay; and Grant van Wyngaarden ’17, Orsted.
Organized by the CMC and center.

Blake Stoner, founder and CEO of Vngle, was the host for this workshop and focused on ways to gain accurate information, which major news topics his venture should cover, which major cities need unbiased and diverse voices in their news the most, and methods to provide accurate and important information to the public. Blake started Vngle, a grassroots news organization founded to make cities more transparent and accurately represented via “various angles” of on-the-ground news coverage. It serves as a comprehensive outlet for credible hyper-local information regarding different cultures within and across cities. Blake endeavors to provide accurate and representative information to his audience, as it allows for better informed voters.

The Columbia Energy Symposium, the largest student-run energy event in New York City, brought together hundreds of energy professionals, students, faculty, leaders, and executives representing industry, government, and society, to explore and advance insights into today's challenging energy questions. Keynote speakers featured Ralph Izzo, chairman, president, and CEO of Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG), and chair of Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI); and Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of New York Power Authority (NYPA). Panel sessions included the following: Moving Towards Net-Zero Emissions, ESG Investing & the Energy Sector, Transitions in Transportation, Next Generation Energy Technologies, Trends in Infrastructure Investing, Opportunities in Offshore Wind, Women in Energy Panel — Energy and Climate Policy in an Election Year, and Financing Renewable Energy in Emerging Markets.
Organized by Columbia University’s SIPA Energy Association (SEA), the Energy and Green Business Clubs at Columbia Business School, CU Engineering Energy Club, and Columbia Law School’s Environmental Law Society.

Michael B. Jordan and Oscar winners Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson starred in “Just Mercy,” an inspiring drama that brings one of the most important stories of our time to the big screen. This powerful and thought-provoking true story follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he moved to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley. One of his first, and most incendiary cases was that of Walter McMillian, who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that followed, Bryan became embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fought for Walter, and others like him, with the odds — and the system — stacked against them. This exclusive screening for the Eric Holder Jr. Initiative was made possible by John Rogovin, ’83CC, EVP and general counsel at Warner Brothers.
Organized by the Eric H. Holder Jr. Initiative at Columbia University and promoted by the center.

Students interested in working with an organization over the summer that creates social or environmental value attended the info session to learn how to apply to the SESF program, which supports students engaged in summer internships with nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations (or its equivalent outside the United States), NGOs, public sector/government organizations, and for-profit social ventures with a clearly defined social or environmental purpose incorporated into the core reason for operation, which is evident in both mission and practice. Fellows typically work on projects that focus on areas such as strategic planning, business plan development, marketing and product strategies, financial analysis, operational improvements, and performance evaluation; and in fields such as impact investing (including venture philanthropy and social venture capital), microfinance, social entrepreneurship, small and medium enterprise development, health care, education, community development, sustainability and the environment, and more.

This matchmaking event was designed for Columbia University, Barnard, and Teachers College students and alumni looking to join or get involved with a Columbia-affiliated social or environmental startup, and any Columbia-affiliated social or environmental startup or nonprofit (at any stage) seeking new team members (co-founders, interns, specialists, etc.) or connections. There were 37 ventures that pitched their business ideas in hopes of finding a team member or connections for their venture from the 100+ audience members.

Professor Geoffrey Heal, Donald C. Waite III Professor of Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School, led a discussion on the intersection of climate change and career choice. For the last thirty years much of his work has focused on environmental economics, trying to understand how and why the natural world matters from an economic perspective. Author of eighteen books and about two hundred articles, Professor Heal teaches several highly regarded MBA courses including the Business of Climate Change: Investing and Managing in a Changing Environment, Business in Society: Doing Well by Doing Good, and New Developments in Energy Markets. His recent books include Endangered Economies: Why the Neglect of Nature Threatens Our Prosperity, When Principles Pay: Corporate Social Responsibility and the Bottom Line, Nature and the Marketplace, Valuing the Future: Economic Theory and Sustainability, and Whole Earth Economics (forthcoming). In addition to his research, writing and teaching, Professor Heal is actively involved with environmental organizations, serving on the board of directors of the Union of Concerned Scientists, as chair of the board of the Coalition for Rainforest Nations, and on the advisory board of the Environmental Defense Fund.
Organized by CMC.

At this lunch-and-learn, club members learned about carbon capture and sequestration technology and business.
Organized by the GBC.

EcoHub is a transformative zero waste technology partnership that diverts 95 percent of waste from landfills without incineration. Founding father of LEED and current chief sustainability officer of EcoHub Robert Watson ’06 presented to the club and discussed career opportunities in the sector. His talk included how students can get involved with EcoHub as well as the new SWEEP (Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Protocol) standard.
Organized by the GBC.

The Tamer Fund for Social Ventures provides seed grants of up to $25K to nonprofit, for-profit, and hybrid early-stage social and environmental ventures. Funding is made available to around seven ventures each year. Katie Neff, ’20BUS ’20SIPA, hosted an info session for students and alumni of Columbia University to learn and ask questions about the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures, application process, upcoming deadlines, and qualifications to apply.

GE and BlackRock launched Distributed Solar Development which will design, build, own and operate distributed solar and storage solutions for customers. Members of the team presented on career opportunities in solar energy to the club.
Organized by the GBC.

The center and professional clubs provided information on the clubs’ initiatives on campus and opportunities to be involved in the social enterprise community at the School. J-term students met students and faculty whose passion for international development, social entrepreneurship, CSR, renewable energy, and nonprofit consulting and nonprofit management has elevated the School to be one of the top business schools for social enterprise.
Organized by the GBC, SEC, and center.

Students gathered within their clusters for a community-building fundraising event where they auctioned off experiences based on their individual talents to their peers.
Organized by the SEC.

MBA students interested in joining a nonprofit board joined this panel discussion led by Cynthia Remec, executive director and founder of BoardAssist. Attendees learned where to start their nonprofit board search, best practices, and how to connect with organizations. Panelists Justin Abelow, managing director at Houlihan Lokey, Guy Dorsainvil ’09, board member and treasurer of Brooklyn Ballet, and William A. von Mueffling ’95, president and chief investment officer of Cantillon Capital Management - New York, discussed the questions you should ask before committing to a board, what the roles and responsibilities are for nonprofit board members, and finding the right nonprofit board for you. The panelists also shared their experiences on nonprofit boards, the skillsets needed to be an effective board member, and how to begin a search for potential nonprofit board opportunities.
Organized by the SEC and center.

As part of the Social Impact Week Event Series, Ethan Forauer, ’17SIPA, vice president at NY Green Bank, spoke with students about renewable energy and provided an overview of New York’s ambitious climate goals as laid out in the recently enacted Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Ethan discussed how NY Green Bank, specifically, is playing a key role in financing New York’s transition to a clean energy economy. NY Green Bank is New York’s $1B clean energy investment fund which, to date, has supported a wide variety of asset classes ranging from community solar to onshore wind, to sustainable transportation to controlled environment agriculture facilities.
Organized by the SEC and center.

Pangea Advisors, the School’s pro bono international consulting organization, held an informational session to kick off the academic year. Pangea strives to improve lives in the developing world by helping nonprofit and for-profit social enterprises address business challenges through their MBA consulting projects. The Pangea leadership team discussed how Pangea operates, their impact-to-date, first-year opportunities to join the board, and the spring 2020 project catalogue.

Panelists Gary Kazantsev, head of quantitative technology strategy for the office of the CTO at Bloomberg LP, Chris Wiggins, associate professor at Columbia and chief data scientist at the New York Times, and Morgan Kang, ’20CC, co-founder of LionBase, shared their work on using data to have social impact. This panel was moderated by Daniel Guetta, senior lecturer in the discipline of decision, risk, and operations and director of the Center for Pricing and Revenue Management and Business Analytics Initiative at Columbia Business School.
Organized by the SEC and center.

Panelists Preeti Bhattacharji ’14, vice president of integrated capitals at Heron, and Fernando Concha Bambach ’18, director of structured finance at 17 Asset Management, discussed the impact investing sector and how firms can align their investments with their social and environmental values. This panel was moderated by Professor Bruce Usher.
Organized by the SEC and center.

As part of the Social Impact Week Event Series, faculty members Doug Bauer, executive director of the Clark Foundation and adjunct professor of business at Columbia Business School, and Amy Houston, adjunct professor of business at Columbia Business School and Thompson Family Foundation, shared their paths in the social impact and nonprofit sector and why they do the work they do.
Organized by the SEC and center.

What does it take to be a successful charter school? As part of the Social Impact Week Event Series, Sheila Zeidman ’19, director of product management at Achievement First, spoke with students about education reform and Achievement First’s strategy around implementing edtech products at scale. Sheila shared lessons learned along the way that would benefit anyone interested in working in the edtech sector or in education at large. Achievement First is a charter school network operating schools in Connecticut, New York City, and Rhode Island.
Organized by the SEC and center.

Students, alumni, faculty, and professionals in the social enterprise sector joined center staff and advisory board members for an evening of networking and socializing. At the gathering, Brianna Lowndes ’19, chief marketing officer at Whitney Museum of American Art, gave remarks about her experience at the Business School and the launch of The Polarization Project, a dinner series designed for current students and alumni to discuss controversial political conversations with faculty members. Following Brianna, Carrie Rebora Barratt PhD, CEO and The William C. Steere Sr. President at the New York Botanical Garden, shared insights into her nonprofit management career, as well as discussed the value of her experience in Programs in Social Enterprise within Executive Education and how it helped her leadership. Closing the night, the center recognized our managing director, Sandra Navalli OAM ’03, who received the 2020 Australia Day Honors Medal of the Order of Australia for her service to international education.

At this CMC event, Chris DiMarco ’07 discussed career paths for MBAs in agricultural technology and how to position experiences in other industries to land a role in AgTech. Chris has focused his career on creating healthier and more sustainable communities around the world. Currently, he is a part of the business development team at AeroFarms, a mission-driven, indoor vertical farming company, where he builds high-value relationships with top-tier companies by crafting custom offerings that address the companies' most relevant strategic, operational, and financial priorities. Chris earned his MBA from Columbia Business School and a BS in chemical engineering from Cornell University.
Organized by the CMC.

Club leaders, center faculty, and PSE and center staff gathered at Rosa Mexicano at Lincoln Center for the end-of-year celebration.

Participants of the NBLP gathered together for a lunch to discuss progress on their projects and resources available to them.
Organized by the NBLP leadership team, within the SEC, and center.

Over 300+ individuals from all over NYC’s social impact space celebrated, reconnected, and met some of the city’s most inspiring people in the sector.
Organized by Be Social Good and the Center for Social Innovation and promoted by the center.

The breakfast served as a networking opportunity for donors and current and past fellows and provided an opportunity for current fellows to discuss their projects.

MBA students interested in sustainable supply chain management and retail attended this panel to discuss sustainability in the retail and fashion industry, with speakers from H&M, Buffy, and Rent-the-Runway (RTR) and moderator Lauren Whitehead ’20, founder of RENTALYA. The panel was followed by a networking session.
Organized by the GBC, SEC, and Retail and Luxury Goods (RLG) Club.

Brent Alderfer, CEO of Community Energy, discussed the basics of renewable energy development and how it will disrupt the power industry going forward.
Organized by the GBC and Energy and Infrastructure Club.

Sustainable investing has become mainstream, with 85 percent of individual investors interested in sustainable investing and more than one in four dollars globally following some form of sustainable investing. Courtney Thompson ’17, vice president of global sustainable finance at Morgan Stanley, shared insights on her work at the firm, how data and analytics continue to drive innovation across the financial sector, and where sustainable and impact investing will go from here. Courtney discussed the solutions advisors are creating in order to meet client demands for investment portfolios that consider ESG principles and the latest evidence on financial performance.

Morgan Stanley believes capital has the power to create positive change in the world. The biggest and most impactful changes come from people like you. If you come to Morgan Stanley, what will you create? First-year students heard how to put talent and ambition to work to be part of a team that creates positive change.
Organized by CMC.

Held at MetLife, this forum brought together experienced institutional investment firms that currently manage impact investment portfolios with those interested in integrating impact investing into their portfolio. The program highlighted experiences of leading impact investors and looked at the current investment opportunities within the impact investing sector, speakers included Asad Mahmood, CEO and managing partner of Social Investment Manager & Advisors (SIMA); Bruce Usher, co-director of the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise, Elizabeth B. Strickler ’86 and Mark T. Gallogly ’86 Faculty Director, and Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia Business School; Dana Bezerra, president of the F.B. Heron Foundation; Christopher Rowe, vice president of investments at Church Pension Fund; Matt Sheedy, director and head of sustainable investment strategies at MetLife Insurance; Michael Grossman, managing director of New Island Capital; Louise Schneider-Moretto, director at DWS (formerly Deutsche Asset Management); Bob Annibale, global director of Citi community development and inclusive finance at Citi; Deepak Kamra, general partner at Canaan Partners; Sono Khangharani, CEO of Thardeep Microfinance Foundation; Camilla Nestor ’03, CEO of MIX; Brian Murray, CEO of Shift Capital; Merilyn Rovira, senior vice president of Community Development Trust; Arrun Kapoor, managing director at SJF Ventures; and Ned Tozun, CEO and founder of d.light. This was an action-oriented event resulted in working groups, led by Michael Rauenhorst ’95, managing partner at SIMA, to carry on the work of furthering institutional investment into this growing field, focusing on what has been achieved in terms of performance and results.
Organized by the center and SIMA and supported by MetLife.

In its inaugural year, Neuberger Berman hosted an ESG (environmental, social, and governance) investing challenge for Columbia Business School on the topic of income inequality. Student teams worked with a mentor at Neuberger Berman to identify publicly listed equity investments that are aligned with the ESG theme and expect to generate positive financial performance (dual objective). After an initial round of eliminations, finalists presented to a panel of judges, which included Joseph V. Amato, president of Neuberger Berman and chief investment officer of equities; Ingrid Dyott ’03, co-portfolio manager of Core Equity and Sustainable Equity Strategies; and Jonathan Bailey, head of ESG investing at Neuberger Berman. Kyle Campbell ’21, K.Y. Wong ’20, and Mingming Wu ’20 were selected as this year’s winner, and received a financial prize from Neuberger Berman. In addition to providing the winning team with prize money, Neuberger Berman also contributed to a 501(c)(3) organization of the winning team’s choosing. Students participating in the two-month competition enjoyed the opportunity to conduct in-depth equity research with an ESG investing perspective. Students discovered that instead of being a restriction, the ESG lens can serve as a mental model for one to identify stocks that are financially attractive. The winning team selected Etsy, an online marketplace, for its ESG impacts that reinforce its seller acquisition and retention, rendering it a competitive edge over peers.
Organized by Neuberger Berman and the Heilbrunn Center for Graham & Dodd Investing and Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School.

Confidential, off-the-record roundtable discussion of leading NYC-area health care institutions around the topic of hiring employees who are formerly incarcerated and otherwise justice-involved. In this meeting, the team reviewed their progress to date on its three key workstreams: (1) foundational education; (2) disclosure document; and (3) engaging reentry organizations.

Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit behind Sesame Street, as well as other localized children’s shows and initiatives around the world. MBA students interested in education and media had the opportunity to visit Sesame Workshop, which included presentations by the media and entertainment and social impact and philanthropy divisions, an overview of career and internship opportunities for MBAs, and a studio tour and photo opportunity with Elmo.
Organized by the SEC and Media Club.

Sandy Eapen ’07, a corporate sustainability leader who most recently was a consultant at BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), discussed the evolving corporate sustainability landscape and shared her experience on consulting versus in-house sustainability roles. Participants learned about some of the basics of corporate sustainability management, including strategy development, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and governance structures, as well as topics of growing importance such as responsible investing and the circular economy.

CohnReznick Capital Markets Securities (CohnReznick Capital) held a recruiting event for graduate students at the Business School and Graduate School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) for summer analyst, associate, and full-time analyst positions. CohnReznick Capital is an investment bank that delivers the full suite of investment banking advisory services, including M&A, project finance, capital raising and special situations. Since 2008, CohnReznick Capital has executed more than 140 project and corporate transactions for renewable energy assets, valued at over $19.5B in aggregate. The firm is wholly committed to the clean energy transition, and delivers exceptional services for financial institutions, infrastructure funds, strategic participants (IPPs and utilities), and leading global clean energy developers. Together, CohnReznick and CohnReznick Capital make up the largest renewable energy financial advisory team in North America. Speakers shared key insights into the recruiting process at CohnReznick Capital, what the roles entail, and what a typical day looks like for a current analyst at the firm, followed by a moderated Q&A session with participants.
Organized by the CMC at Columbia Business School and the Office of Careers and Women in Energy program within the Center on Global Energy Policy (GEP) at SIPA.

Globally, there are over 4 million tons of brewers’ grains — which could provide 50 million people with their daily protein and fiber needs — that is currently just discarded. Zea10 has created proprietary, nutritious, and delicious ingredients using the brewers’ grains and aims to disrupt the health and wellness industry by selling their ingredients to CPG firms. Zea10 is committed to giving back 10 percent of its core business to food insecure populations, starting with New York City, where an estimated 1.4 million residents rely on emergency food programs. Ian Mackay, CEO of Zea10, and Karl Greden, head of engineering at Zea10, facilitated a workshop to better understand how to set up a pilot program in NYC to better serve their key stakeholders, food insecure children, adults, and the homeless population. Participants explored questions like the following: Who is the consumer? What need does this fill for the consumer? Which products to offer? Where to conduct the pilot? Are there any potential partners or sponsors to market/facilitate the program? What are the remaining questions to answer to launch this pilot? What are the concerns with this target group/model?

To celebrate wrapping up midterm exams, students attended a guided tour and subsequent subsidized dinner at Gotham Greens’ Rooftop Farm in Brooklyn. This event was an opportunity for club members to learn about (and sample) food produced through sustainable agriculture and urban farming. Gotham Greens builds and operates sustainable greenhouses in cities across America, where they grow local produce year-round. Local cultivation and regional distribution help Gotham Greens deliver their products quickly after being harvested to ensure they are fresh tasting, nutritionally dense, and long-lasting.
Organized by the GBC and Gourmet Club.

The well-known 42nd Street Development Corporation, the nonprofit parent organization of Theatre Row, was renamed “Building for the Arts” (BFA) in order to better match a culture of philanthropy. After the organization’s rebranding, BFA has reinvented itself by fully renovating the public spaces at its renowned performance venue and announced new initiatives to improve affordability and access to the arts. Additionally, BFA has strengthened its commitment to its national 20-year-old public-school music education program, “Music and the Brain.” In this breakfast series, Josh Landay ’18 shared his insights on change management, nonprofit leadership, and social impact. The breakfast discussion explored the challenges faced by the organization throughout its transformation — from systems and operations, to marketing and branding, to leadership and organizational culture — and gave students a preview of what is next.

Students and staff from the center gathered at Detroit Shipping Company with alumni in the Detroit-area for a networking dinner. Current Business School students interested in social enterprise were in town for the annual “Net Impact Conference.”

Students traveled to Detroit, MI to participate in the 2019 “Net Impact Conference, Widening the Lens.” Keynote speakers included Romy Drucker, deputy director of K-12 education at Walton Family Foundation; Anand Kesavan, CEO of Equitable Facilities Fund; Jessica Norwood, founder of The Runway Project; Iqbal Quadir, founder of Grameenphone; Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action; Connie K. Lim, singer-songwriter of MILCK; Krista Suh, craftivist and creator of the Pussyhat Project; and Mohan Sivaloganathan, CEO of students for Education Reform.
Organized by the Net Impact Organization and supported by the center.

Emily Lamia of Pivot Journeys helped MBA students and alumni identify and define their future career in social enterprise. During this workshop session, Emily helped attendees zero-in on what they enjoy most about work, clarify the skills they want to use in their next position, create a more refined pitch to communicate their value and what they’re looking for, and nail potential interview questions. Pivot Journeys is passionate about helping people grow and develop in their careers. Emily has been helping people grow and develop in their careers for over a decade.

Students, partner organization staff, and board members participating in the program gathered at orientation to learn about their nonprofit board projects for the academic year. At the event, attendees discussed initiatives and best practices. Jillian Roland ’16 and Stephanie Shaw ’17, consultants at Bridgespan, presented best practices for nonprofit consulting.
Organized by the NBLP leadership team, within the SEC, and center.

This headline event, located in the finance capital of the world, provided a unique opportunity to tap into the vibrant ecosystem of capital for impact through the lens of philanthropy, impact investing, ESG, and social venture and business examples. Social impact leaders in business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropy spoke to how they are changing the way we think about how capital is sourced and used to generate sustainable solutions to global, systemic challenges. Speakers shared insights on where opportunities exist to pursue future careers of impact on both the financing and implementation sides of social impact capital. At this year’s event, attendees were inspired by keynotes Deval Patrick, managing director of Double Impact at Bain Capital; Wes Moore, CEO of Robin Hood, Elizabeth Carlock-Phillips, executive director at Phillips Foundation; S. Mona Sinha ’93, chairwoman of Women Moving Millions and center advisory board member; and Melissa Berman, president and CEO at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors and center advisory board member. Keynotes discussed the role of private equity in building mission driven businesses, the impact of philanthropy and woman philanthropists in solving global, systemic challenges, and insights on social justice from a foundation’s perspective. The “Sources of Capital” breakout session track included panels on ESG investing, veteran entrepreneurship, female founders and venture capital investments, funding for women’s health, fintech, journalism and the sustainable information movement, clean energy markets, and the economics of universal basic income. For the “Uses of Capital” track, breakout sessions included the future of youth employment, scaling business strategies for social entrepreneurs, NYC’s affordable housing market, a social venture pitch mix and match, private-public partnerships to support displaced persons, climate and agriculture, art collections as a solution to mass incarceration, and design thinking for the social sector. Key breakout session speakers included, but were not limited to Eve Burton, ’89LAW, Hearst; Rachel Butler, the Cavendish Impact Foundation; Ben Chase, IDEO.org; David Derryck ’99, Earn.org; Andrew Hermalyn, 2U; Taylor Justice, ’14, Unite Us; Manal Kahi, ’15SIPA, Eat Offbeat; Adam Kaye, Spare Food Co.; Stefanie Leigh Plant, International Rescue Committee; Nelson J. Luna, ’22CC, Teens Take Charge; Mary Jane McQuillen ’07, ClearBridge Investments; Steve Mott, HELP USA; Jamieson Odell, Goldman Sachs; David Rosenberg ’02, AeroFarms; Mazin Sidahmed, Documented; Andrea Turner Moffitt ’07, Plum Alley; and John Wotowicz, ’90LAW, The City.
Organized by the center, SEC, and GBC.

The center and the 2019 SESF participants celebrated the current cohort of fellows. This networking event was a great way for students to learn about the program first-hand from our fellows, hear about their summer projects, and get to know social enterprise students from across Columbia University's campus. This year’s summer fellows interned across social enterprise sectors including education, health care, arts, conservation, impact investing, SME development, community development, architecture, engineering, and beyond.

Students interested in taking on an independent consulting project for a nonprofit attended the info session to learn more about the NBLP, application process, and nonprofit board service.
Organized by the NBLP, within the SEC, and center.

Widely heralded as a “masterful” (Washington Post) and “essential” (Slate) history of the modern American metropolis, Richard Rothstein’s The Color of Law offers “the most forceful argument ever published on how federal, state, and local governments gave rise to and reinforced neighborhood segregation” (William Julius Wilson). Exploding the myth of de facto segregation arising from private prejudice or the unintended consequences of economic forces, Rothstein describes how the American government systematically imposed residential segregation with undisguised racial zoning, public housing that purposefully segregated previously mixed communities, subsidies for builders to create whites-only suburbs, tax exemptions for institutions that enforced segregation, and support for violent resistance to African Americans in white neighborhoods. A groundbreaking, “virtually indispensable” study that has already transformed our understanding of 20th century urban history (Chicago Daily Observer), The Color of Law forces us to face the obligation to remedy our unconstitutional past.
Organized by Osborne Association, in partnership with the Center for Institutional and Social Change at Columbia Law School and the Tamer Center for Social Enterprise at Columbia Business School.

Pangea Advisors, the School’s pro bono international consulting organization, held an informational session to kick off the academic year. Pangea strives to improve lives in the developing world by helping nonprofit and for-profit social enterprises address business challenges through their MBA consulting projects. The Pangea leadership team discussed how Pangea operates, their impact-to-date, first-year opportunities to join the board, and the fall 2019 project catalogue.

The center, first- and second-year students, alumni, and faculty headed to Shady Acres Organic Farm, just outside of New York City, for an opportunity to learn about sustainable farming, become a master jam-maker, and reconnect over a delicious farm-to-table lunch. Founded in 1956, Shady Acres has been family-owned and -operated ever since.

MBAs interested in sustainable business and beer manufacturing kicked off the academic year with a tour of Brooklyn Brewery to learn about their sustainability initiatives and participate in a tasting.
Organized by the GBC, Microbrew, and Energy & Infrastructure Clubs.

The center and professional clubs provided information on the social enterprise community at the School. Students interested in exploring the field of social enterprise during their time at the School had the opportunity to meet students and faculty whose passion for international development, social entrepreneurship, CSR, renewable energy, and nonprofit consulting and management has elevated the School to be one of the top business schools for social enterprise. Students learned about the different clubs’ initiatives on campus and opportunities to be involved in the social enterprise community.
Organized by the Green Business Club (GBC), Social Enterprise Club (SEC), and center.

Sustainable assets are making up a growing percentage of global assets under management, with impact investing growing the fastest. Impact investing has gone from $109B in 2014 to $502B in 2018, and this growth trend is expected to continue — with the International Finance Corporation suggesting the market potential at $26T. On the back of strong consumer demand and pressure particularly from rising millennials, responsible investing has been booming, and impact investing is expected to have the largest percent increase of capital within sustainability. Impact investing is becoming more and more mainstream, with investors and managers coming to understand that there does not need to be a financial trade-off.

The Bridgespan Group hosted a company presentation on their consulting positions available to MBA students. The Bridgespan Group is a leading nonprofit consulting organization serving nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, and impact investors. They work with social change organizations such as the Harlem Children’s Zone and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; philanthropies such as the Ford Foundation; impact investors such as TPG’s Rise Fund; and bold, collaborative initiatives such as TED’s Audacious Project, Blue Meridian Partners, and Co-Impact.
Organized by the Career Management Center (CMC).

Jonathan Bailey, managing director and head of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing at Neuberger Berman came to speak about the firm’s engagement in impact investing and the upcoming case competition
Organized by Neuberger Berman in partnership with the Heilbrunn Center for Graham and Dodd Investing and Tamer Center for Social Enterprise.

Much has been written about how advertising has evolved since the advent of social media. The democratization of content creation today has created a reality where everyone can be an ad creative churning out campaigns on social media platforms. However, while everyone can participate in this advertising world, the success of social media advertising for social ventures continues to be rooted in some key marketing foundational principles: age-old marketing principles, consumer media consumption habits, and data analytics. Deepti Shrivastava, Angel Investor and Social Venture Advisory Network member, focused this session on demystifying how to bring these criteria together, with a particular focus on social ventures and their various stakeholders. The discussion touched upon both strategic imperatives and tactical emerging digital principles essential to creating an impactful social media presence and unlocking growth for new social ventures. Participants left the discussion with a structured framework to leverage in order to start their social media efforts or take them to the next level.

The Tamer Fund for Social Ventures provides seed grants of up to $25K to nonprofit, for-profit, and hybrid early-stage social and environmental ventures. Funding is made available to around seven ventures each year. Kristen Banks, ’20EI, hosted an info session for students and alumni of Columbia University to learn and ask questions about the Tamer Fund for Social Ventures, application process, upcoming deadlines, and qualifications to apply.