By Christina Meinberg, MBA 2007 If you’re anything like me, once you start to get really hungry, you are on a slippery slope. While passing through Roseville California recently, hunger struck and it completely took over. I was tired. I was hungry. And the clincher was that I was surrounded by six-lane roads and a blur otherwise known as corporate America at its finest. Stopping off in this Northern California town to pick up a pair of shoes en-route to a hike we had planned for the weekend, we found ourselves surrounded by over 40 national retail stores, not counting the 200+ in the mall a mile up the street. When on-the-road, I generally try to look for healthy, sustainable Read More
Monthly Archives: April 2012
Combating Climate Change and Global Poverty in One Fell Swoop
04/23/2012 – 8:04 am
Excerpted from the Sierra Club Scrapbook – April 10, 2012 “Native Virginian and Sierra Club member Tim Whitley was earning his MBA at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School when he attended two presentations that fortuitously connected two of his animating passions: combating climate change and alleviating global poverty. Four years later, Whitley has founded Carbon Offsets to Alleviate Poverty (COTAP), an Oakland, California-based organization that empowers individuals to simultaneously take action on climate change and global poverty by funding tree-planting programs that create wages for the working poor in the developing world. COTAP, for which Whitley serves as CEO, connects individuals’ carbon footprints—determined using COTAP’s online carbon calculator—with accredited forestry projects in less-developed countries, creating “meaningful and Read More
J&J Tish Lascelle’s Sustainability Buzzword: Interconnected
04/20/2012 – 9:14 am
Tish Lascelle and Net Impact President Genny King Tish Lascelle, Sr. Director of Environment, Health and Safety at Johnson & Johnson, was Kenan-Flagler’s Net Impact chapter guest yesterday in McColl. Her conversation with the filled classroom made one clear point to me: Interconnectedness. Tish’s background was in the chemical industry, working for Honeywell and Allied Signal. But somewhere along the way, she decided she wanted to use her skills and intellect to make the future better. She came to UNC and the School of Public Health. Her father’s WWII don’t-throw-anything-away mentality and habits had made her very aware of scarcity of resources as well. Tish referred a lot to J&J’s Credo – something that all employees read regularly to remind Read More
Sam Imende (MBA ’12) Joins Harambe Entrepreneur Alliance
04/16/2012 – 9:16 am
By Sam Imende, MBA 2012 Over the last weekend in March, I had the privilege of attending the Bretton Woods Symposium as a new Associate member of the Harambe Entrepreneurship Alliance (HEA). The Alliance was established in 2007 to support a growing network of young African entrepreneurs committed to advancing Africa’s interest both on the continent and around the world. The founder and chairman, Okendo Lewis Gayle, often reflects on the humble beginnings of this initiative as “nothing but a dream on a piece of paper.” Every year he and his founding team continue to knock on doors of prestigious academic institutions, global corporations and multinational organizations to share the vision and build partnerships to support the growing network of young African Read More
Walmart Shares Sustainability Resources with NC Suppliers
04/11/2012 – 8:06 am
By Katie Kross (MBA ’04), President of the North Carolina Sustainability Center (NCSC) Reposted from the NCSC Blog – 04/02/12 By its own estimates, Walmart spends more than $5 billion for merchandise and services with over 1,500 suppliers in the state of North Carolina each year. As Walmart continues to ask more and more from its suppliers’ sustainability efforts — it intends to start rating suppliers’ sustainability practices by 2013 and incorporating those ratings into buying decisions — North Carolina companies that take a proactive approach to sustainability may see opportunities with Walmart buyers. Walmart’s Director of Sustainability, Miranda Ballentine visited NC State on Mar. 28 to discuss its sustainability goals with Walmart suppliers and product manufacturers. Ballentine discussed Walmart’s Read More
Vote Every Day to Help UNC Kenan-Flagler Change the World
04/04/2012 – 11:00 am
The Global Business School Network (GBSN) MBA Challenge Video Competition asks: Can an MBA Change the World?UNC Kenan-Flagler answers: Absolutely! VOTE TODAY AND EVERY DAY between now and the end of the competition on April 15th for the UNC Kenan-Flagler GBSN video submitted by Annie Evans (MBA 2011) and Parker Wilson (MBA 2011) highlighting our capstone Sustainability Immersion course. UNC Kenan-Flagler is a very engaged member of GBSN where our own Dean Jim Dean sits on the GBSN Board of Directors. Click here to find out more about GBSN and the video competition. Thank you for your support. Go team UNC Kenan-Flagler!
Green Week 2012: Toward a Greener Lifestyle
04/03/2012 – 12:02 pm
By Carolyn Yuen, MBA 2013 After an exciting weeklong of events, which made up Green Week, the hope is that the students’ increased awareness and desire to live a “greener” way of life leads to something that is realized and maintainable. The week started with a Bike to School day and group ride, which encouraged students to choose biking rather than driving or taking the bus. This led to increased conversations where those who regularly biked to school would give advice on the best routes, particularly when students are concerned with being presentable for a company presentation or school event. Fortunately during inclement weather, many students are supportive with giving rides due to our car pool system. One of the Read More