A dedicated group of Oregon MBA students produced a new event for people and organizations looking to connect and address issues in the field of sustainable business practices.
Held at the Lillis Business Complex in April, Day 1 at the Summit for Sustainable Organizations was full of engaging discussion, hands-on learning, and action-oriented thinking.
Day 2 included two panels featuring leaders in sustainable business practices across a variety of industries, followed by breakout sessions requiring participants to think through current problems from the perspective of different stakeholder groups.
The day’s events wrapped up with keynote speaker and UO alumna Emily Darchuk, MBA ’18, founder of Wheyward Spirit, who shared her personal journey that led her to pursue an entrepreneurial path starting her own company making spirits from excess whey produced from the dairy process—a path the even led to a collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s.
The summit was organized by Oregon MBA sustainable business practices students with the support of faculty, including Professor of Practice John Davis.
“Listening and sharing ideas with expert sustainability industry leaders and creative students really highlighted the exciting social and climate intersections and solutions that people are working on together,” said Wyatt Cuddington, MBA ’23,who also emceed the event. “I’m excited for the summit to continue growing with the entire Duck network in the coming years.”
The second annual Summit for Sustainable Organizations is planned for April 2024.
—Lundquist College Communications