get their hands dirty and make
a difference.
”
: : aT a GlanCe : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
location:
columbus, oh
number of students:634
30%
of Fisher students are net impact members100%
of those members are activenumber of survey respondents: 23
“
GolD Net imPAct chAPter
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : CurrICulum : : :
The MBA program at Fisher allows students to cus- tomize degrees based on interest in issues such as socially and environmentally responsible business, leveraging the benefits of a small class size within a large research-based institution.
A wide array of courses (around 100) related to social and environmental issues are offered at the Ohio State University, which is home to 18 colleges.
Eight of the twelve MBA core courses incorporate so- cial and environmental issues into classes or assignments.
Ethics and Social Responsibility is covered in one session
of each core course. Global Environment of Business has a few cases that deal with fair trade, corporate responsibil- ity, and social innovation. One course on Supply Chain
Management covers sustainability, fair business practices,
integrity within the supply chain, and corporate-NGO partnerships.
Fisher offers an Enterprise Sustainability track in its curriculum that gives future business leaders in the private and public sectors significant opportunities to gain knowl- edge and skills for managing enterprises facing complex global sustainability issues. The educational focus is on the strategic responses to these issues that may be employed to create business opportunities and competitive advantage.
Multiple courses offer both instruction in diverse as- pects of sustainability and hands-on project opportunities, working with companies and nonprofit organizations fac- ing sustainability challenges. For example, Global Market
Management and Sustainability, provides an analysis of
strategic, political, and philosophical issues faced by man- agement and governments involved in international trade,
all centered on sustainable practices. Another course,
Business and the Environment: Strategies for Sustainabil- ity focuses on translating the sustainability concept into
operational terms and establishing the business case for sustainable business practices.
Dr. Neil Drobny, a lecturer at Fisher, is a national expert on sustainable business practices. Dr. Sharon Alvarez and Dr. Jay Barney teach Micro-Enterprise and Economic De-
velopment, which includes a 10-day experience in one or
more Peruvian villages.
Fisher does not have a center for CSR, but does incor- porate social and environmental responsibility into mul- tiple core and elective classes. Additionally, other centers and groups within the Fisher College of Business often- times incorporate sustainability into their work (i.e. Cen- ter for Resilience, Center for Operational Excellence, and International Poverty Solutions Collaborative).
OSU Net Impact has incorporated itself into the sus- tainability curriculum at Fisher. The group is significantly involved at the undergraduate level with the energy and sustainability industry cluster, which offers select students a deeper understanding of the industry through corporate interactions, guest speakers, and consulting projects.
At the graduate level, OSU Net Impact is involved with
sample courses
Global Marketing and Sustainability Lean Management Practices
Planning for Sustainable Development Business Ethics
144 Business as UNusual: THe sTudenT guide To graduaTe programs 2011
the ohio stAte UNiversity, continued
the Enterprise Sustainability track option, providing nu- merous opportunities outside of the classroom to engage in additional learning regarding sustainable issues. For example, events range in focus from poverty alleviation
to sustainable foods to global supply chain issues and ev- erywhere in between. OSU Net Impact also incorporates opportunities for members alongside some elective classes offered.
: : : : cUrricUlUm,
continued: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
Program’s strengths:
1. environmental sustainability
2. Corporate responsibility
3. International development
35%
are satisfied with the number of courses offered that include social or environmental issues26%
are satisfied with the faculty emphasis onsocial/environmental issues in the curriculum
: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : sTudenT aCTIvITIes : : :
Graduate students at Fisher have the opportunity to join over 25 student groups with a wide range of focuses for all interests, some of which have extensive social and environmental impact concentrations.
OSU Net Impact holds a variety of events each year, including a handful of smaller events and four major flag- ship events. One of the flagship events is the Sustainability Boot Camp, where students gain insights from corporate and student panels on how to incorporate sustainability into career paths. In the Green Supply Chain Symposium, audience members learn about innovations and changes in the green supply chain, and recently in the Alleviat- ing Poverty through Entrepreneurship Summit over 900 participants come together to learn about groundbreaking techniques in social entrepreneurship to combat global poverty.
OSU Net Impact also hosts multiple smaller events. For example, OSU Net Impact organized three green site visits in 2011 and brought in multiple corporate speak- ers from companies such as The Dow Chemical Company and IBM. OSU Net Impact members had the unique ad- vantage to take part in free Global Reporting Initiative training, provided by BrownFlynn in Cleveland.
OSU Net Impact members have the opportunity to gain first-hand experience through a variety of project initiatives. This year, members worked on projects with the Procurement Department of Johnson & Johnson, the
OSU President’s and Provost’s Council on Sustainability (commissioned by OSU President Gordon Gee), and the federal Solar Decathlon project, run by the U.S. Depart- ment of Energy.
Members have other avenues to get involved as well. For instance, a few participated in two external case competi- tions in 2010–2011, the Columbus Get Green Business Case Competition and the Hult Global Case Challenge. Members also competed and made it to the finals in the Walmart Better Living Business Plan Challenge. Finally, OSU Net Impact continues to offer the OSU Net Impact Summer Internship, where a member gets to work for a local nonprofit in the field of sustainability.
OSU Net Impact partners with many other organiza- tions at all levels. Within Fisher, some events are in con- junction with other relevant student organizations. At the university level, OSU Net Impact members hold key roles within broader groups such as the Council of Graduate Students’ Sustainability and Environmental Responsibil- ity Committee (SERC), which this year drafted a cam- pus-wide Sustainability Resolution. OSU Net Impact also worked extensively with an OSU biology professor to bring sustainability into a general education requirement biology class at the undergraduate level. The group also works with organizations in the Columbus community such as Local Matters, TechColumbus, and the Columbus Council on World Affairs.
activity of net impact
compared to other clubs:
one of the most active
78%
are satisfied with the extracurricular offerings around social/environmental issues91%
agree that the student body is committed to social/environmental issuesthe ohio stAte UNiversity, continued
: : : Career servICes & alumnI : : : : : : : : : : :
The Office of Career Management (OCM) at Fisher further allows students to customize their career search through both on-campus interviews with target compa- nies and guiding and preparing students to target other companies and organizations of interest. Students receive one-on-one consultation with job search consultants who help them prepare for any stage of the job search. The Office also provides students with the ability to contact alumni, giving students access to one of the largest univer- sity alumni groups in the nation.
The OCM is involved in multiple on-campus career fairs, some of which are general and others that are spe- cific in nature, such as the Nonprofit Opportunities Fair. In addition, the OCM financially assists students who at- tend career conferences around the country, giving them access to social and environmental related job positions. For example, the OCM supported students attending the Net Impact Conference and a Global Reporting Initiative training session.
OSU Net Impact works with the OCM in planning the annual Sustainability Boot Camp, an event that gives MBA students insight into sustainability-related careers
and how to apply sustainable business practices to all con- centrations.
The Executive Director of the OCM also serves on OSU Net Impact’s Advisory Board, providing a key link between sustainable careers and students involved in OSU Net Impact.
The OCM helps source speakers for OSU Net Impact events and also promotes OSU Net Impact events. Ad- ditionally, when OSU Net Impact brings in high-level speakers from companies that do not traditionally recruit on campus, meetings are set up for speakers to meet with the OCM, as well as the Fisher administration.
Prominent Alumni
Kyle Girardi (2011) – Market Analyst, Alcoa
James Balch (2010) – Senior Specialist, Sustainability,
Cardinal Health
sara engleka (2006) – Senior Manager, CARANA Corporation Aparna Dial (2004) – Director, Energy Services &
Sustainability, Ohio State University
scott Griffin (1987) – VP, Commercial Excellence and
Sustainability, Greif Inc.
70%
have been able to find a job or internshipthat fits with their values