Conference embraces the triple bottom line approach to business
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—January 31, 2008
CONTACT: Katherine Riolo,
603-646-1135
HANOVER, N.H.—There was heightened energy around the Tuck School in January. It wasn't just the adrenaline of recruiting season that hits this time of year. It was anticipation of the Business & Society Conference at Tuck, and talk of a new model gaining momentum in the business world—the triple bottom line.
The triple bottom line is about pursuing opportunities that are simultaneously profitable, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable, says conference chair David Adams T'08. "It's a concept that is part of the fabric that defines Tuck," he says.
The sixth-annual, student-run Business & Society Conference, held January 16-18, 2008, brought together experts and sponsors ranging from multi-national Fortune 500 companies to local grass-roots, nonprofit organizations, each of whom is committed to finding ways to achieve a triple bottom line.
The conference focus was "Oil and Water: Business Opportunities to Fuel our Future" because, explains Adams, "It is the belief of many that over the next 30 years the issues and challenges created by these two commodities will yield the greatest opportunities to drive earnings, implement conservation programs, and enact social good."
Keynote talks were given by John Brock, president and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, and Matthew R. Simmons, chairman of Simmons & Company International. Panels covered topics ranging from the financial risk of climate change to clean tech investing strategies.
"John Brock's talk was fantastic," says Charles Schilling T'08, social team leader of the conference. "Sustainability and water stewardship are critical priorities for Coca-Cola, and hearing it from the CEO really brought the issues to life."
The success of the conference stemmed not only from the top-tier speakers but also from enormous student interest. Fifteen percent of the student body helped plan the event, and more than 300 students registered to attend.
"The widespread participation of Tuck students is a testament to the importance of the triple bottom line in our own lives," notes Adams. "We are seeking successful careers about which we can be passionate. And we realize that the pursuit of corporate citizenship will be mandatory if we want to succeed in business."
The conference wasn't all business, though. In addition to educational content, conference organizers didn't forget to add a social element to the lineup.
"By day we heard from business leaders from such companies as General Electric and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. By night we got to rock out with the Samples at a private concert," says Schilling. "In addition to being informative, the conference was really fun!"
Institutional sponsors of the Business & Society Conference included Tuck's Allwin Initiative for Corporate Citizenship, the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth, and Vermont Law School. Other sponsors included Upstream Waste Management, CSX Corporation, Camelbak, the Dishner T'93 Fund for Sustainability, Eaton Corporation, John Deere, and Microsoft.
Founded in 1900, Tuck is the first graduate school of management in the country and consistently ranks among the top business schools worldwide. Tuck remains distinctive among the world's great business schools by combining human scale with global reach, rigorous coursework with experiences requiring teamwork, and valued traditions with innovation.
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