Social (Net) Impact is Everyone's Business

October 28, 2004

Conference update by Amanda Foley '06.

In a few short weeks, more than 1000 MBA students from business schools around the world will descend on the Columbia campus to participate in the 12th annual Net Impact Conference. Hosted by our own Social Enterprise Club, the event is shaping up to be the largest conference held at Columbia Business School this year. Even more impressive, it’s sold out. Business Leaders Building a Better World will take place Nov. 11-14, but filled to capacity in early October.

Double Bottom Line

The conference will host over 200 speakers on 70 panels on issues ranging from International Trade and Microfinance to Energy, Education and Sustainable Development.

It’s about social impact. And it’s everyone’s business.

It’s a common misnomer that social enterprise is for those with a warm, fuzzy, fluffy view of the world. Quite the contrary, social enterprise does not equal nonprofit. It’s far more than volunteerism, philanthropy or being a tree hugger. Social enterprise is about a fundamental consciousness of the tradeoffs inherent in daily business. It’s about monitoring more than just the bottom line; it’s about being aware of how your decisions impact your employees, your customers and your community.

Headliners & Legends

With CEO headliners like Orin Smith of Starbucks and Gary Erickson of Clif Bar, there will be something for everyone at the Net Impact Conference. Participants will have the opportunity to take site visits to socially-minded NY area businesses and non-profits like the Greyston Bakery and Common Ground. Other special events include Venture Labs for burgeoning entrepreneurs, on-the-spot interviews with recruiters attending the Biz Expo, and a Faculty Case Competition facilitated by Frances Hesselbein of the Leader to Leader Institute (formerly the Peter F. Drucker Foundation).

Among the speakers anchoring the conference are representatives from organizations including:

Acumen Fund

AFL-CIO

The Aspen Institute

Boston Consulting Group

The Broad Foundation

Calvert

CNN Business News

The Coca-Cola Company

Financial Times

Ford Motor Company

Fortune Magazine

GE Wind Energy

Goldman Sachs

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

Hasbro, Inc.

Interpublic Group (IPG)

KIPP Schools

Lucent Technologies

Merck

Morgan Stanley

NewSchools Venture Fund

Nike

NYC Planning Commission

Oxfam America

Platform Learning

Rockefeller Foundation

Shell Wind

Stonyfield Farms

Teach for America

Unilever

United Nations

The Wall Street Journal

Whole Foods Markets

Women’s World Banking

World Bank

Supermen & Wonder Women
How many people does it take to pull off something this major? More than 100 students have worked countless hours to put this conference together – first-years, second-years, alumni, and prospective students. In addition to dedicated students, many fantastic faculty and staff have been enormously supportive at every stage of the preparations.

And then there’s the core Design Team – 20 Supermen and Wonder Women who have been working tirelessly since returning from last year’s conference in Austin, Texas. To say their commitment has been outstanding doesn’t do them justice. 200 emails per day, 4 hours of sleep per night, 3+ meetings per week, and classes. Columbia Business School can be very proud knowing you are our own.