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Bard MBA In Sustainability

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Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeTamara Stands and Looks Back-Spotted Tail on Indigenous Entrepreneurship - Building Sustainable Housing Through Cultural ValuesIn this episode, Bard MBA candidate Milana Pakes interviews Tamara Stands and Looks Back-Spotted Tail about creating sustainable earth-block housing for the Shanju Lakota tribe. Tamara shares her entrepreneurial journey from jewelry artist to sustainable housing advocate, discussing how she bridges traditional Lakota values with modern sustainability practices. She explains her vision for self-sufficient homesteads powered by renewable energy that enable economic independence while honoring cultural heritage. Tamara emphasizes reclaiming language, land, and food sovereignty while maintaining deep connections to the earth, noting that “giving back to the earth is also protecting the earth and keeping things in balance.” 2025-05-2253 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeDale Ewing & John Friedman on Office Furniture Sustainability - Building a Circular Economy  In this episode, Bard MBA in Sustainability student Deanna Diaz interviews Dale Ewing, Founder & CEO of Installnet, and John Friedman, sustainability expert and author, about transforming the office furniture industry. They discuss how 9 million tons of furniture end up in landfills annually and share Installnet's Ecoserv program for sustainable decommissioning. The conversation explores the limitations of current environmental impact models, the need for better metrics, and the business case for sustainability despite political headwinds. Dale and John emphasize that furniture reuse creates both environmental benefits and social impact through community donations, highlighting that "what gets measured inaccurately g...2025-05-0838 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeDonald Pollard Jr. & Ngozi Okaro on Fashion's Future: Balancing Innovation, Sustainability, and EthicsIn this episode, MBA Sustainability candidate Toni Skidmore interviews fashion experts Donald Pollard Jr. and Ngozi Okaro about creating a more ethical and sustainable fashion industry. They discuss how education must include business fundamentals alongside design skills, emphasizing human-centered approaches that balance profit with ethical labor practices. Both guests share how they preserve traditional craftsmanship while embracing innovation and the power of authentic storytelling in fashion. They conclude that creating a more sustainable future requires genuine commitment from industry leaders to prioritize people alongside profit. 2025-04-1046 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeMichelle Gabriel & Ken Pucker on Fashion Industry Sustainability - Policy, Education, and Business InnovationIn this episode, MBA candidate Erin Malaney interviews Michelle Gabriel, Director of Sustainable Fashion at IE and NYC, and Ken Pucker, former COO of Timberland and professor at Tufts University. They discuss why current sustainability approaches in fashion aren't working, highlighting business models that prioritize profit over planet, lack of regulation, and externalized environmental costs. Both experts emphasize that policy is essential for meaningful change, as voluntary corporate sustainability efforts have proven insufficient. They also address the critical need for fashion education to include business strategy, climate science basics, and policy understanding to create effective industry change. 2025-03-2752 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeKia Huggan on Digital Accessibility - From Engineering to Educational EquityIn this episode, Bard MBA student Ana Caka interviews Kia Huggan, founder of Webquity, about creating accessible digital learning experiences for students with visual dyslexia and impairments. Kia shares her journey from engineering to educational technology, discussing her user-centered approach to entrepreneurship and the importance of staying mission-focused. She offers insights on balancing innovation with sustainability, thoughtfully integrating AI, and using feedback to shape better solutions, while emphasizing that "inclusion is not optional" in technology development. 2025-03-1334 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#810 Lennox Omondi on Sustainable Innovation for Menstrual Health: From Myanmar Activism to Kenyan Social EnterpriseIn this compelling episode, we speak with Ray Oo, a Myanmar refugee and climate activist currently pursuing his MBA in Sustainability, and Lennox Omondi, founder and CEO of Ecobana Limited in Kenya. Their conversation explores how sustainable innovation can address critical social challenges, focusing on Ecobana's development of biodegradable sanitary napkins made from banana fibers. The discussion weaves together themes of youth leadership, environmental sustainability, and social impact, as Lennox shares how he's tackling period poverty in Kenya while creating an environmentally conscious solution. Ray, who serves as Myanmar's representative on the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution, brings...2024-12-0438 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#809 Ravi Mangla on Building Community Power: From Political Communication to Climate Action at Working Families PartyIn this timely conversation, Working Families Party National Press Secretary Ravi Mangla and Bard MBA in Sustainability candidate Jackson Thompson join us to explore the intersection of political communication and climate action in the wake of the 2024 presidential election. Mangla shares insights on effective climate messaging for working communities, the importance of local organizing, and strategies for combating misinformation through authentic community engagement. The discussion delves into how progressive organizations can better connect with working-class voters, the power of fusion voting, and practical steps for civic engagement. 2024-11-2539 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#807 Alexis Schwartz on Purpose-Driven Media: Breaking Down Paywalls and Amplifying Sustainability StoriesIn this conversation, Alexis Schwartz, Head of Purpose Partnerships at The Guardian US, discusses how quality journalism can drive social impact and sustainability forward. She explains The Guardian's unique funding model that keeps journalism accessible by eliminating paywalls, which she argues breed inequity. Schwartz explores "the hush" - a recent phenomenon where brands have pulled back from publicly discussing DEI and sustainability initiatives due to fear of backlash and economic uncertainty. Through examples of The Guardian's partnerships with organizations like Doctors Without Borders and Bloomberg Philanthropies, she illustrates how media can effectively humanize sustainability and social justice stories. Schwartz...2024-11-1528 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#804 Steven Lichtin on Renewable Energy: Building Community Partnerships for Clean PowerIn this episode of the Impact Report, current Bard MBA student Milo Keller speaks with Steven Lichtin, CEO of Advantage Renewables, about the evolving landscape of renewable energy development. Lichtin, a member of Bard's inaugural MBA cohort, shares his journey from Wall Street trading to renewable energy, discussing how the industry has transformed since 2010. The conversation explores critical challenges facing renewable energy projects today, particularly interconnection bottlenecks and community engagement. Lichtin emphasizes the importance of being a "good neighbor" through transparent communication and local presence, while also highlighting how policy, from FERC regulations to state-level initiatives, shapes the industry's...2024-10-3142 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#803 Brett Davis on Waste Prevention: Transforming Mardi Gras for a Sustainable FutureIn this episode of The Impact Report, Bard MBA in Sustainability candidate Tricia Travis interviews Brett Davis, founding partner of the nonprofit Grounds Crew. They discuss the environmental challenges of New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration, including the 2.6 million pounds of litter generated annually. Davis explains Grounds Crew's initiatives to make the festivities more sustainable, such as the Sustainable Throw Catalog and recycling programs. The conversation explores the economic and cultural complexities of changing Mardi Gras traditions, community engagement strategies, and signs of progress like one parade krewe banning plastic beads for 2025. Travis, who recently joined Grounds Crew, shares her...2024-10-1747 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#705 Karl Wienhold on Sustainable Coffee Practices: Bridging Research and Fair TradeIn this episode of The Impact Report, host Renay engages in a compelling conversation with recent Bard MBA graduate Antonio Castillo and researcher Karl Wienhold. Together, they discuss the critical issues smallholder coffee farmers face in the global coffee trade. Antonio and Karl share their extensive experience and research on power imbalances, colonial legacies, and the poverty cycles that trap farmers who produce the majority of the world's coffee.  IN THE EPISODE:  The episode sheds light on Karl’s findings related to economic structures that perpetuate injustice and stresses the need for solidarity and collective barg...2024-06-1854 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#704 Kelly Burton on ESG Strategies: Crafting the Future of Responsible BusinessIn this episode of The Impact Report, host Renay sits down with Kelly Burton, founder and CEO of the ESG Shop, and Stacey Jewell, a Bard MBA student with a keen focus on impact finance. Together, they discuss the intricacies of ESG strategies and their pivotal role in shaping responsible business practices.   In this Episode:   Kelly Burton’s Leadership Path: Kelly Burton recounts her multifaceted career journey, from advertising to digital transformation and eventually to sustainability. She shares the inception story of the ESG Shop and its mission to guide companies from...2024-05-3054 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#703 Brad Stevenson on Harnessing Insurance for Sustainability: The Premiums for the Planet InitiativeBard MBA candidate Damien Williamson welcomes Brad Stevenson, a lifelong activist, entrepreneur, and sustainability champion with over 30 years of experience in purpose-driven strategy, coaching, consulting, and facilitating programs for executives across various sectors. Brad discusses his latest venture, “Premiums for the Planet,” a collective action movement aimed at leveraging the insurance industry for sustainability. In this Episode Brad’s Journey: Brad shares his journey from a high school experience that shaped his worldview on racial diversity and privilege to his diverse career path. He delves into his early work in diversity consul...2024-05-1655 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#702: Andy Ruben on Revolutionizing Retail: A Deep Dive into Circularity, Technology, and Innovation with TroveJoin us as we explore the creation of a circular economy through sustainability, technology, and business innovation with Andy Ruben, the visionary behind Trove. Discover how Trove is revolutionizing the retail industry by extending the product lifecycle and fostering brand loyalty through technology.   In This Episode Introduction to Trove: Andy Ruben discusses his journey from Walmart to founding Trove, a company that’s reshaping the retail landscape by managing the lifecycle of products beyond the primary market. The Role of Technology: Learn how Trove partners with brands like Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, and REI to tra...2024-05-071h 00Lead The ChangeLead The Change#701: Arriving with Purpose: Unveiling the New Voice of The Impact ReportJoin us on this special Earth Week episode of The Impact Report as we introduce our new host, Professor Renay Loper. Renay shares her journey to becoming a pivotal voice in sustainability and gives us a glimpse into the transformative education at Bard College’s Graduate Programs in Sustainability. In this episode: Renay’s personal leadership path and her role at Bard’s MBA in sustainability program. The significance of asking “How are you arriving?” and its impact on personal and organizational leadership. Insights into the GPS journey toward justice, equity, diversity, and anti-racism. A reflection on the ess...2024-04-2513 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#613: Laura Diaz MunozBetter Soil Produces Better Wine: Laura Díaz Muñoz, Winemaker and General Manager of Ehlers Estate “This is the philosophy I bring to my winemaking. I believe that if you start with great ingredients, there’s no need to complicate the process in the cellar.”  Laura Díaz Muñoz’s winemaking perspective is rooted in the old world, shaped by a broad cross selection of cultures, regions and vineyard sites. She is driven by her own never-ending desire to learn and experiment.  Laura joined Ehlers Estate as Winemaker and General Manager for Ehlers Esta...2023-05-1924 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#610: Eban GoodsteinLeading the Change & Changing the Game: A Conversation with Eban Goodstein, Director of Bard Graduate Programs in Sustainability Eban Goodstein is an economist and Director of the Bard Graduate Programs in Sustainability which houses the Center for Environmental Policy and the MBA in Sustainability. Goodstein led the expansion of the Center for Environmental Policy which now offers master’s of science degrees in environmental policy and climate science and policy as well as an MEd in environmental education. He also  founded  the #1  ranked  MBA in sustainability in 2012. In recent years, Goodstein has also coordinated a series of nationa...2023-04-1837 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#607: Caroline VanderlipRe:Dish Today to Reshape Tomorrow                                                                                                      Caroline Vanderlip, Founder & CEO of Re:Dish                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Re:Dish delivers and collects containers and cups, cleans and sanitizes them at their own industrial washing facility, then returns those same dishes back to their customers to be reused. They service corporate cafeterias and pantries, arenas, K-12 schools, production sets – anywhere food is served at scale.        Caroline Vanderlip puts her passions and creativity into building businesses like Re:Dish, and is excited to be able to tell its huge environmental impact story. A successful entrepreneur, Caroline has launched businesses within parent companies (CNBC, AT&T Personal Online Services), as well as independent entities like the publishing technology company, SharedBook. Armed with a BA from Vassar and an MBA from NYU, Caroline is a life-long learner, now focused on sustainability and the huge impact that Re:Dish can have as it supports a shift from a linear to a circular economy. Bard MBA’s Jessie Hook speaks with Caroline for this episode of the Impact Report. 2023-01-2026 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#604: Annie AgleGear for Good: A Conversation with Annie Agle, Senior Director of Impact & Sustainability at Cotapaxi Cotopaxi is a carbon-neutral outdoor gear brand founded to create sustainably designed products that fight extreme poverty, inspire adventure, and move people to do good.  As a certified B Corporation, they believe in using the power of business as a force for social, environmental, and economic good. Their motto, Gear for Good, touches every aspect of their company.  Cotopaxi is committed to making all of their gear using repurposed, recycled, or responsible materials by 2025.  They allocate a mi...2022-11-1838 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#512: Steve LohrSustainability Grows on the Vine: A Conversation with Steve Lohr of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines J.  Lohr Vineyards & Wines is a winery headquartered in San Jose, California, with almost 4,000 acres of estate vineyards in Paso Robles, Monterey County and the Napa Valley. J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines was named the 2020 recipient of the Green Medal Leader Award. The annual California Green Medal Sustainable Winegrowing Awards provide recognition to vineyards and wineries who are standard-bearers in implementing the three “E’s” of sustainability: environment, economic, and social equity. As the President and CEO of J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines...2022-06-1137 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#508: Veeral HardevThe Clear Choice for Solar: A Conversation with Veeral Hardev of Ubiquitous Energy Veeral Hardev is VP of Strategy at Ubiquitous Energy. Hardev  has over a decade of experience commercializing novel  nano-materials products for the electronics industry. This  includes his time at Nanosys, Inc. where he led materials and  business development, and product management. Hardev holds an MBA from the Berkeley Haas School of Business, and  bachelor’s degrees in Materials Science and Economics from  UCLA.  Ubiquitous Energy is the world leading transparent solar technology dramatically reduces the carbon footprint of buildings by converting light into elec...2022-04-2238 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#506: Al IannuzziSustainability Is Beautiful at the Estee Lauder Companies: A Conversation with Al Iannuzzi, VP, Sustainability Al Iannuzzi is Vice President, Sustainability, at The Estée Lauder Companies, where he directs enterprise-wide sustainability efforts and establishes and executes on the Company’s sustainability strategy, goals and objectives. He oversees the publication of the Company’s Corporate Responsibility Report, ESG ratings and rankings, and climate and energy programs. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University, Purdue University, where he teaches Product Improvement and Sustainability.   Al has more than 30 years’ experience in the Environment, Health, Safety and Susta...2022-02-1826 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#503: Gilles MesrobianActivism, Leadership & Purpose: Gilles Mesrobian, Professor & Principal at the Red Queen Group In addition to his role as a visiting faculty member of Bard College’s MBA in Sustainability Program, Gilles is an affiliate consultant with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, a Certified Governance Trainer through BoardSource, and on the National Training Faculty for NeighborWorks America.  His credentials include over 30 years senior management experience in the non-profit arena, with over 20 years as an Executive Director. His consulting experience covers a broad range of organizational work in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, including governance training, org...2021-11-0526 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#502: Robert PasinBuilding Sustainability into a Legacy Company: Robert Pasin CEO, Radio Flyer Robert Pasin heads Radio Flyer Inc., the business founded by his grandfather in 1917. Radio Flyer is an iconic brand that holds a special place in people's hearts because it instantly transports them to a happy time — to the best parts of childhood. Robert works with a wonderful group of passionate "Flyers" whose mission is to create products that bring smiles to kids of all ages and to create warm memories that last a lifetime. Company sales have grown significantly because of Robert’s focus on building a highly commi...2021-10-2921 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#412: Steven RothsteinTurning Up The Heat on Financial Regulators to Combat Climate Change Steven M. Rothstein Managing Director, Accelerator for Capital Markets, Ceres Steven M. Rothstein is the founding Managing Director of the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets.  Ceres Accelerator aims to transform the practices and policies that govern capital markets in order to accelerate reduction of the worst financial impacts of the climate crisis and other sustainability threats. Steven’s 40 years of experience will be critical to explore the most effective strategies for the Accelerator to focus on and move capital markets towards climate sustainability. He has wor...2021-06-2524 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#409: Francesca MahoneyImproving the Lives of Pets, Pet Parents & the Planet: A Conversation with Francesca Mahoney of Petco An accomplished retail leader, Francesca Mahoney leads Petco’s sustainability strategy and works with business leaders across operations, products, and supply chain to advance sustainability and drive strategic growth. She is passionate about creating a better planet for pets and pet parents alike and has been the driving force in Petco’s recent industry-leading commitment to increasing its assortment of sustainable pet products to 50% by the end of 2025. She has also spent more than a decade transforming teams, building brands and lead...2021-05-0721 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#408: Nicole MeierTouching the Future of Textiles: Nicole Meier, Director of Branding at Ultrafabrics Ultrafabrics is reshaping the world of leather-free performance fabrics.  Operating on three continents with over five decades of expertise, Ultrafabrics innovates in sync with emerging customer needs to create versatile solutions for any surface, and for a multitude of industries. Every fabric coming out of their mill is a premium, sustainable and intelligent product that speaks to—and elevates—the senses. They are dedicated to innovation and sustainability and are always improving to continuously deliver superior performance fabrics. As a graduate of the Fashio...2021-04-3029 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#404: Jessica ThurstonMedia as a Mode for Social & Environmental Good:Jessica Thurston, Director, ESG Strategy at ViacomCBS Jessica Thurston leads ViacomCBS’ environmental, social, and governance strategy. She oversees the development and implementation of key ESG programs across the global company, including ESG reporting and engagement with rankers, raters, and investors. Jessica’s background is in ESG and sustainability strategy and communications. Previously, she worked at New York-based agencies supporting clients including Chipotle, Carhartt, Keurig Dr Pepper, Merck & Co., Inc., and more. She previously worked in sustainability at Tiffany & Co., and started her career at the U.S. General Services Admi...2021-03-1250 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#403: Natasha DyerMaking Cities More Resilient By Eliminating Food Waste: A Conversation with Natasha Dyer, Senior Recycling Program Coordinator for the City of Atlanta In her role with the Mayor’s Office of Resilience, Natasha Dyer focuses on creating municipal programs that increase wasted food diversion from landfill as part of the City’s Climate Action and Food Access plans.  This includes programs that recover edible surplus food to feed food insecure residents and collaborating with external partners to create decentralized composting systems that then benefits local urban agriculture.  In her role with the City, she has also created and administers a cityw...2021-03-0535 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#401: Karen ChovanReducing Risks for Responsible Mining: A Conversation with Karen Chovan, CEO & Founder of Enviro Integration Strategy Enviro Integration Strategies is focused on helping leaders to rapidly integrate sustainable choices and practices into mining designs and operations.  After 20 years in mining, CEO and Founder, Karen Chovan has gained a breadth of experience and knowledge working as a geological engineer and project manager. She has also worked as an organizational change agent helping teams to solve environmental problems, avoid risks in future major projects, and create programs and protocols to improve performance within the sustainability realm. From p...2021-02-1231 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#319: Jane LawriePurpose, Prosperity & Priorities: A Conversation with Jane Lawrie, Global Head of Corporate Affairs at KPMG International. Jane Lawrie joined KPMG International as the Global Head of Corporate Affairs in late 2019. With more than 30 years’ communications experience, Jane has worked for global brands including Coca-Cola, Diageo, Boots and most recently Tesco.  A member of the Tesco Executive Committee from 2016 to 2019 she led the Group Communications function through the company’s turnaround including the acquisition of Booker.  She led the Tesco Board Corporate Responsibility Committee and established a new sustainability program, The Little Helps Plan. Throughout her experi...2020-11-2025 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#317: Trista BridgesPutting Sustainability at the Core of Business: A Conversation with Trista Bridges of Read the Air   Trista Bridges is a marketing strategy and sustainable business expert, who's passionate about changing business for good. Strongly believing that sustainable business = smart business, she co-founded Read the Air to shift mindsets, business strategies, and ways of working towards business models that put sustainability at the core. Her extensive career experiences span various geographies, from Europe to the Americas and Asia, and sectors including consumer products, media and tech, healthcare, and financial services.  Trista is co-author of the recently released "Leading Sustainably: The path to s...2020-10-3037 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#314: Lily TragerBreaking the Mold on Investing: A Conversation with Lily Trager of Morgan Stanley Lily S. Trager is an Executive Director and the Director of Investing with Impact and Head of Impact Solutions for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Since 2006, Lily has dedicated her career to sustainable and impact investing. Lily joined Morgan Stanley in 2014. In her current role, Lily works to provide individual, family and institutional clients with investment products, solutions, research and tools to capture the opportunities and mitigate risks posed by key sustainability and impact themes. Previously, Lily worked for Veris Wealth...2020-09-1828 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#312: Carol ConeThe Pioneer of Purpose: A Conversation with Carole Cone Carol Cone pioneered the field of social purpose in the 1980s, and today is widely recognized as one of the world's foremost social impact experts. Her work has built global movements, garnered hundreds of awards and raised billions of dollars for a variety of worthy causes. For this episode of the Impact Report, Bard MBA’s Lindsay Moreau speaks with Carol about finding the power of purpose during the pandemic and the push to end systemic racism.  The Impact Report brings together students and faculty in Bard’s...2020-08-2847 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#311: Eric AdamsLeadership During Crisis: A Conversation with Eric Adams Eric Adams started out as a police officer, serving 22 years in law enforcement. He began his political career representing Brooklyn districts as a State Senator. Today, he serves as the Borough President of Brooklyn, advocating for a healthier, safer, and better Brooklyn and New York City. The work of the Borough President, including his lifestyle medicine and food initiatives in Brooklyn and NYC, such as Meatless Mondays and the plant-based lifestyle medicine clinic, can be found here. For this episode of the Impact Report Series Producer, Katie Ellman s...2020-08-1422 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#310: Mitchell JoachimUsing Design to Combat Extinction: A Conversation with Mitchell Joachim It has been said that the goal of architecture is to improve human life but throughout history, built environments and urbanization have destroyed natural ecosystems.  The balance between meeting the demands to house the growing population of the world and reducing harm to habitats has proven mostly elusive in practice. Last winter, Bard MBA Alum, Konstancja Maleszynska spoke with Dr. Mitchell Joachim, Co-Founder of Terreform ONE a nonprofit architecture and urban design research-based consulting group. They talked about how pioneering acts of design can combat e...2020-07-1831 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#309: Isaac NichelsonTransforming Waste Into Valuable Products: A Conversation with Isaac Nichelson, Co-Founder & CEO of Circular Systems  Isaac has been a creative leader and entrepreneur in the apparel industry for 25 years. He's best known for propelling cutting-edge product and market innovation in realms of sustainability and circular resource efficiency.  As CEO and Co-founder of Circular Systems, Nichelson created a low-impact production process that will redefine the meaning of sustainable materials in the fashion industry. In 2018 Isaac and Circular Systems won the H&M Foundation’s coveted Global Change Award for their revolutionary Agraloop Bio-Refinery process. The...2020-06-0556 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#308: Natasha FranckPowering End-to-End Product Digitization: A Conversation with Natasha Franck, Founder & CEO of Eon.  Natasha Franck is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Eon.  Eon powers connected products for industry's largest global brands and retailers. Eon is the leading Internet of Things platform in fashion, apparel and retail – powering end-to-end business intelligence, customer engagement, new business models and more. Advancing industry’s transition to a sustainable and circular economy, Eon leads the development of industry's CircularID™ Protocol — the global protocol for digital identification of products in circular economy. Eon brings transparency and sustainability to the entire product li...2020-05-2923 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#307: Don WiviottMaking Tomorrow’s Farms More Sustainable And Stable For Farmers, Investors And Consumers: A Conversation With Don Wiviott Of Tomorrow’s Farms Don Wiviott, works with his own business, Tomorrow’s Farms, LLC and investors who manage or own 80,000 acres in organic farmland. The financial model includes a path to ownership for farmers while providing stable assets for investors and institutions committed to the growth, protection, and stewardship of organic farming. Don has a BA in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard. He has written solar legislation and lobbied with the Farmer...2020-05-2222 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#301: Roger McClendonPlaying for Change: How the Green Sports Alliance Mobilizes Sports Fans 16 leagues. 194 teams. 195 venues. Members of the Green Sports Alliance embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, safer chemicals and other environmentally preferable practices—and they inspire millions of fans to follow their lead. The Alliance believes that the sports industry is uniquely positioned to make large-scale impact in the environmental performance of many of the world’s largest public spaces. It also believes that sport teams place a special role in influencing citizens and mobilizing communities to action.  To find out more...2020-02-0731 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#218: Yuval BogerCharging the Future By Making Batteries Obsolete: A Conversation Yuval Boger, CMO of Wi-Charge Yuval Boger has served as chief executive, chief marketer and evangelist for technology companies from seed stage to NASDAQ. He led business and product development programs that generated over $200M in revenue. Wi-Charge is the leader in long-range wireless power technology. WiFi eliminated the data cord, and Wi-Charge will eliminate most power cords. They  provide a new way to power to smart, mobile and IoT devices, delivering more power than batteries and more freedom than power cords. Their patented light-based system is...2019-11-1526 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#217: Evan HarveyESG Data and Nasdaq’s Leadership on Enhanced Disclosure Nasdaq has promoted corporate responsibility for over a decade, playing its part in creating a more efficient and sustainable capital market system. Today, Nasdaq Global Head of Sustainability Evan Harvey and his team are at a nexus of companies, regulators, and investors working to enhance environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure. Since 2014, the cost of ESG-related scandals and controversies at S&P 500 companies has amounted to $534M losses in market capitalizations—and that number is rising. After California power company PG&E’s recent bankruptcy filing and su...2019-11-0126 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#216: Rob ThrelkeldThe View From 20—GM’s Global Sustainability Energy Manager Reflects on Changes at the Automaker Rob Threlkeld, Global Manager of Sustainable Energy, Supply and Reliability for General Motors, began his career at the automaker as manager of the powerhouse and wastewater treatment plant operations at GM’s Lordstown, Ohio assembly complex. In the almost 20 years since, his sustainability career has grown alongside the company’s sustainability commitment. From an initial focus on energy efficiency, both his role and the company’s efforts have expanded to encompass renewable energy procurement and EV integration. General Motors is now on tra...2019-10-1821 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#215: Bob LangertA Behind-the-Scenes Account of McDonald's Sustainability Journey: An Interview with Bob Langert Starting in the 1980s, McDonald’s was repeatedly challenged on hot-button social and environmental issues by powerful NGOs. It spent over a decade in defensive mode, as groups like Greenpeace and PETA demanded that the company rethink its approach to issues like packaging, animal welfare, deforestation, and nutrition.  Eventually, though, the mega brand shifted to strategically solving issues with NGO partners. As it integrated sustainability into its core mission, it began to rebuild brand health with consumers. Former McDonald’s VP of Su...2019-10-0434 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#214: Heather ItzlaWaste-less School Supplies: Wisdom Supply Co.’s Mission to Reduce Plastic Waste, An Interview with Founder, Heather Itzla Unless you have school-age children, you may not realize that we’ve just come through the second biggest shopping season of the year. According to Deloitte’s July 2019 Back-to-School Survey, US shoppers will have spent $27.8 billion, or $519 per student, on everything from clothing to calculators. Of that, $6.1 billion will have gone to purchasing school supplies. Heather Itzla reads that last figure and thinks plastic waste. Realizing how back-to-school shopping encourages the rote purchase of disposable plastics, Itzla and pa...2019-09-2031 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#212: Minister Gale RigobertThe Blue, Green and Orange Economies Merge in St. Lucia’s Sustainable Development Agenda: A Conversation with Dr. Gale Rigobert Dr. Gale TC Rigobert made history in 2014 by becoming the youngest and first female Leader of the Opposition in St. Lucia. Then in 2016, when her United Workers Party won the federal election, she was appointed Minister of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development for the Eastern Caribbean island nation. Passionate about the ways in which policy, education and innovation intersect in sustainable development, Rigobert works to leverage business to protect the wellbeing of St. Lu...2019-08-3044 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#210: Jonathan ReinboldCooperating to Bring the Good: A Conversation with Jonathan Reinbold  In 1988, a handful of Midwest family farmers fed up with the state of American agriculture gathered at the Viroqua, WI courthouse to talk about doing farming differently. Thirty years later, the farmer-owned cooperative they started, Organic Valley, represents more than 2,000 farmers in 34 US states and achieved $1.1 billion in 2018 sales. Building on its founding mission of saving family farms through organic farming, Organic Valley has embraced a wide range of sustainability initiatives. It has committed to switching all of its remaining fossil fuel-based electricity to renewables b...2019-06-2819 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#207: Sustainability in SportsSUSTAINABILITY IN SPORTS: Conversations with Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, Rocky Harris and Kaitlin Sandeno According to Forbes the sports industry’s projected worth is to grow to over $70 billion this year.   In January 2019, the New York Yankees became the first sports team in history to create the position of Environmental Science Advisor to its staff.  The legendary sports franchise chose Dr. Allen Hershkowitz of the Natural Resources Defense Council, ex-President of the Green Sports Alliance and Founding Director of Sport and Sustainability International (SandSI) for this role.   Bard MBA student Alexandra Criscuolo, an athlete in her own ri...2019-05-0355 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#205: Scott TewLeveraging Best Practices in Sustainability For Customers & Company Scott Tew’s sustainability journey began on his family’s produce farm in Alabama. There, he learned that “natural resources are precious gifts that need to be nurtured, protected, and never squandered.” Today, Tew’s the Exective Director of Ingersoll Rand’s Center for Energy Efficiency and Sustainability (CEES). But, as he writes in Practicing Sustainability, in many ways he hasn’t travelled all that far from the farm. The CEES supports all of Ingersoll Rand’s strategic brands—Club Car, Ingersoll Rand, Trane and Thermo King—and is...2019-04-0529 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#204: Keeley TillotsonFriendly Food on a Mission: A Conversation with Keeley Tillotson, CEO of Wild Friends Foods Keeley Tillotson started Wild Friends out of her dorm room with her co-founder and roommate, Erika Welsh. Seven years later, their women-run company distributes their unique, healthy nut butters nationally. On a mission to “make food friendly” for their customers, suppliers, and the planet, they make their products with short lists of clean ingredients, excluding palm oil, hydrogenated oils, and added sugar. Wild Friends’ giveback program donates 1% of sales to help women and girls fund their dreams. Their first...2019-03-1529 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#203: Anirban GhoshMahindra Group Companies Rise Against Climate Change: A Conversation with Anirban Ghosh For over a decade, the Mahindra Group has been leveraging its size and stature for maximum sustainability impact. Mahindra’s companies span 22 industries, operate in over 100 countries, and employ more than 240,000 people. Founded and headquartered in India, the Group is a US $20.7 billion global federation of companies. So when Mahindra launched its “rise against climate change” campaign, the impact was significant. Not only is it the first Indian company to set an internal carbon price, it has planted over 15 million trees and committed to set...2019-03-0133 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#202: Ken GrossmanCrafting the Perfect Beer With the Spirit of Innovation Ken Grossman founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in 1980, with the goal of providing his customers with the kind of beer he liked to drink—hoppy, dark and flavorful. His background in home brewing, uncompromising approach to quality, and financial savvy helped him build one of the most successful craft breweries in the U.S.   Sierra Nevada’s products are distributed in all 50 states and overseas. A second Sierra Nevada brewery opened in Mills River, North Carolina in 2013 to satisfy growing demand and reduce the company’s environ...2019-02-1536 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#201: Vien TruongFocusing on Solutions—Not Silos: Vien Truong, CEO of Dream Corps Shaped by growing up in Oakland, CA during the 80s—the city’s crack years, she says—Vien Truong has dedicated her career to fundamentally ending poverty. Truong is the President of the Dream Corps, and she believes in the power of an inclusive and equitable green economy. Truong has developed numerous energy, environmental, and economic policies and programs at the state, federal and local levels, and has advised on billions of dollars in public investments for energy and community development programs. In 2016...2019-02-0123 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#115: Dr. Nicoletta PiccolrovazziDow's Collaborative Blueprint for Unlocking Carbon Reductions To date, Dow Olympic & Sports Solutions has delivered 3.64 million tons of CO2e reductions, and it’s on track to exceed 6 million tons by 2026. This unique partnership between Dow and the International Olympic Committee uses sport and the Olympic brand as platforms to demonstrate how science and technology can help the transition to a lower-carbon fture. The collaboration leverages Dow’s materials science expertise, technologies, and science-based solutions to deliver climate benefits—and, in the process, to provide actionable lessons learned to organizations across sectors.   As Global...2018-12-0725 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#113: Hunter LovinsHunter Lovins On Our Finer Future Hunter Lovins, President and Founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, believes that citizens, communities and companies, working together within the market context, are the most dynamic problem solving force on the planet. A champion of sustainable development for over 35 years, Lovins has consulted on business, economic development, sustainable agriculture, energy, water, security, and climate policies for scores of governments, communities, and companies worldwide. Time Magazine recognized her as a Millennium Hero for the Planet, and she has won the Rachel Carson and Right Livelihood awards, among dozens of...2018-11-0235 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#112: Deb JohnsonMoving the Needle Toward a More Holistic and Ethical Fashion Industry The Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator (BF+DA), a Pratt Institute initiative, is a hub for ethical fashion and design that provides design entrepreneurs, creative technologists and industry professionals with the resources they need to transform their ideas into successful, triple bottom line businesses. Approximately 15 emerging design businesses are selected to work from the BF+DA. Each year, the BF+DA also serves over 70 apparel production clients, 300 digital fabrication clients, and 4,000 event, tour, and educational program attendees. It’s also recently launched sustainability consulting offerings to...2018-10-1943 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#111: Deanna BratterHow Danone North America Became the Largest Certified B Corp in the World Danone North America—maker of Dannon, Silk, So Delicious, Horizon Organic and Vega, among others—recently became the largest certified B Corp™ in the world for its commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. As a large multinational company, Danone North America demonstrated that certification is attainable, and should be an ambition for companies regardless of size or sector. Deanna Bratter, Senior Director of Sustainable Development Strategy for Danone North America, led the company’s B Corp initiative. Bratter...2018-10-0526 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#110: Sam AronsLyft is Working to Reclaim Cities for People, Not Cars Lyft was one of the first U.S. companies to join former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s “We Are Still In” movement to declare its continuing commitment to the Paris Climate Accord. Shortly after, it outlined its own Climate Impact Goals, doing its part to address the threat posed by global climate change. Sam Arons is Director of Sustainability at Lyft, overseeing the company’s sustainability and climate impact efforts. Sam cames to Lyft after 10 years at Google, where he developed the company’s sustaina...2018-09-2131 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#109: Sarah KaussS’well Proves Sustainability Can Be Stylish Sarah Kauss launched S’well in 2010 with the belief that a crave-worthy bottle that combined fashion with function would make people stop buying disposable water bottles, thus reducing single-use plastic consumption.  Eight years after launching, S’well is the fastest growing woman-owned business in the United States. Olivia Gossett Cooper, Bard MBA alum and founder of “Today We Will” and Silvr Inc., spoke with Kauss this past Spring about her inspiration for starting the company, how she got to scale, and how style matters in converting users to a sustainab...2018-09-0738 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#108: Ali KenneyMaximizing Positive Social Impact and Minimizing Environmental Impact: An Interview with Ali Kenney of Burton Snowboards  It’s almost impossible to upcycle used snowboards. Because their components—metal, wood, plastic, resin—are tightly fused during manufacturing, the best end-of-life outcome is usually chopped scrap that can be downcycled into fill. Which is why Burton is working with a new recyclable epoxy resin. ReRez allows used snowboards to be disassembled, and each material input to be reccyled into new life. This focus on end-of-life innovation is just one of the ways that Burton is meeting its ambitio...2018-05-1828 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#104 Luke TrumanHow Allagash Brews Sustainable Practices into its Operations: A Conversation With Luke Truman  The grain is just one way it's closing the loop. Portland’s Allagash Brewing Company has committed to purchasing 1 million pounds of Maine-grown and -processed grain by 2021. And three days a week, a local farmer stops by the brewery to pick up spent grain, which he uses as feed for his cows. Allagash demonstrates that same commitment to sustainability throughout its operations. From the cold Maine air that it uses to cool its largest refrigerated space, to the waste carbon dioxide (CO2) it captures from...2018-03-1630 minLead The ChangeLead The Change#103 Anne de Carbuccia  Making Art, Making Change: A Conversation With Anne de Carbuccia “I wish to illuminate the damage, the breakage, the fragmentation. Somehow, if I can make it beautiful, I can make it one again.” Anne de Carbuccia is a French-American environmental artist working to document the effects of climate change. She first became interested in the era of human beings as a geological force, the Anthropocene, while studying Art History and Anthropology at Columbia University. De Carbuccia has spent the past five years traveling to the most extreme places on earth, creating photo...2018-03-0225 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS05 EP 07: Thomas Singer, The Conference BoardTransitioning to the Circular Economy: Thomas Singer Profiles Seven Companies Making the Shift Thomas Singer felt that there was already plenty of good writing about the theory behind the circular economy. So, when he and his Conference Board colleagues thought about what they wanted to contribute to the conversation, they focused on case studies: “real, practical examples of companies that have been involved in these types of initiatives.” The resulting 2017 report, Business Transformation and the Circular Economy: A Candid Look at Risks and Rewards, profiles the strategies and successes of seven companies at the forefront of t...2017-12-0125 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS05 EP 05: Nick Silver, Author & Co-Founder of Climate Bonds InitiativeUsing Finance to Shatter the Fossil Fuel Economy Nick Silver — actuary, economist and onetime mainstream finance professional — understands the consequences of the financial system continuing in its current form. Which is why his new book, "Finance, Society and Sustainability: How to Make the Financial System Work for the Economy, People and Planet," argues that to avoid collateral damage to the economy, society and the environment, we need to re-engineer the system. Silver is also the managing director of Callund Consulting, a specialist consultancy that advises developing country governments on social insurance. He has advised the U.N., U.K...2017-11-0330 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS05 EP 04: Rebecca Hamilton, W.S. Badger Co.Bard MBA graduates Sam Levine and Alex FitzGerald spoke recently with Rebecca Hamilton about Badger’s business model and how it goes beyond the B Corps standard. Hamilton is a co-owner and the vice president of research and development at Badger, where she sources new raw materials and oversees the sustainability and quality of Badger’s supply chain, among other responsibilities. She is also involved in safe cosmetics legislation and toxic chemical reform and has served as the chair of the Natural Products Association National Personal Care Steering Committee. As of January, there were 1,000 certified B Corps — companie...2017-10-2030 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS05 EP 03: Kevin Rabinovitch, Mars Inc.In September, Mars unveiled its Sustainable in a Generation plan, which sets a new standard for its responsible growth as a business. Mars believes that transformational, cross-industry collaboration is required to fix the extended global supply chain, and the plan leads the way by investing $1 billion to tackle threats such as climate change, poverty in its value chain and resource scarcity. The private, family-owned brand has been in business for over a century and sells its products in nearly every corner of the globe. Its six businesses — from chocolate to pet products — reach billions of consumers and earn...2017-10-0631 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 16: Rebekah Moses of Impossible FoodsImpossible Foods cooks up a new paradigm for the food system Animal protein consumption is rising worldwide. The U.N. Food and Agriculture Association estimates that the raising of livestock for meat and dairy products contributes to 14.5 percent of human-induced GHG emissions. Meat and dairy production is also heavily resource-intensive, with 30 percent of the world’s land surface used for this purpose — a landmass larger than North and South America, Europe and Australia combined. In March, Bard MBA students spoke with Rebekah Moses, sustainability and agriculture manager of Impossible Foods, to learn about the company's unique approach to re...2017-05-2631 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 15: Karen Overton of Recycle-A-BicycleRecycle-A-Bicycle: Fostering Job Training, Environmental Education, and Community Engagement   On average, New York City’s Recycle-A-Bicycle salvages 1,800 bicycles each year from the waste stream, diverting a total of 45,000 pounds of waste from the city’s landfills. In the past year alone, more than 1000 Recycle-A-Bicycle youth collectively refurbished 500 bicycles, pedaled 24,000 miles, and burned 1,750,000 calories. Recycle-A-Bicycle recycles the metal from donated bikes that are too damaged to use—literally 12,000 of aluminum and steel each year. The person behind these impressive numbers, Recycle-A-Bicycle Founder and Executive Director Karen Overton, talked recently with the Bar...2017-05-0536 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 14: Jon Meyersohn of "Years of Living Dangerously"How Years of Living Dangerously Communicates the Urgency of Climate Change “Climate change isn’t stopping with the second season”—that’s Jon Meyersohn, co-executive producer of the Emmy-award winning Years of Living Dangerously, on why he hopes the series extends to a third season. Meyersohn is a journalist and producer with a thirty-year career spanning print, radio and television. As co-executive producer of the second season of Years of Living Dangerously, he worked closely with the two founding executive producers and senior staff to provide a sweeping narrative look at some of the most urgent climat...2017-04-2133 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 13: Margo Baldwin of Chelsea Green PublishingPublishing As A Tool for Effecting Cultural Change: Margo Baldwin of Chelsea Green Publishing Book publishing is a $28 billion industry in the United States. While there has been growth in e-books and audio books, the printed word is still the way most Americans read their books.  However, it is also a resource intensive industry that produces approximately 12.4 million metric tons of carbon annually.    Enter Chelsea Green Publishing. Founded in 1984 by Ian and Margo Baldwin, Chelsea Green is recognized as a leading publisher of books on the politics and practice of sustainable living. It pro...2017-04-0724 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 12: Cary Krosinsky - Value First Impact InvestingValue-First Impact Investing: Cary Krosinsky on Driving Change by Doing Well   Values-first versus value-first investing. Cary Krosinsky argues that the “s” that differentiates the two represents a significant shift in the impact investing field.   Krosinsky talked with Bard MBA in Sustainability Director Eban Goodstein about the shift from negative to positive approaches to sustainable investing, and about the business case for value-first investing. Krosinsky’s latest book, Sustainable Investing: Revolutions in Theory and Practice (with Sophie Purdom), came out last December. The author of two other books on sustainable investing, he’s also a no...2017-03-1732 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 11: John de Graaf - Buying Less is MorePresident Trump built his personal brand on wealth using tag lines like, “You have to be wealthy in order to be great.” Shortly after Trump’s election, Bard MBA in Sustainability students Heather Bowden, Lauren Hill, Nick Shore and Catherine Tedrow spoke with filmmaker John de Graaf, who documented the consumption phenomenon of the 1990s. Their conversation explored the connections among consumption, income inequality, social media and climate change in the context of the election. John de Graaf is a documentary filmmaker and author. Fifteen of his films, including the popular Affluenza, have been broadcast nationa...2017-03-0331 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 09: Fereshteh Forough of Code to InspireThere are 3.6 million female students in Afghanistan today, compared to zero in 2001. However, social limitations for women still exist — women make up only 16 percent of the current Afghan labor force. Fereshteh Forough, founder and president of Code to Inspire (CTI), the first coding school for girls in Afghanistan, has a passion. She wants to empower young Afghan women by hitching their economic and social advancement to the country’s growing tech industry. For businesses and governments strive to align with the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Code to Inspire is an organization to watch, as it encomp...2017-02-0329 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 08: Maya Elisabeth of Whoopi & MayaMore than half the U.S. population lives in states with medical or adult use cannabis laws on the books. As the nascent cannabis industry grows, some business owners are careful to establish sustainable operations from the beginning. Maya Elisabeth, co-founder of Whoopi & Maya and founder of Om Edibles, is one of those smart business owners. Maya Elisabeth began working in California’s cannabis industry after graduating from San Francisco State University. In 2008 she formed Om Edibles, an all-female collective, focusing on high-quality ingredients, including sun-grown cannabis. Om Edibles products have won seven High Times Cannabis Cup awards...2017-01-2035 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 07: Danielle Vogel of Glen's Garden MarketAll politics is local—none more than climate policy in the US after January 20, 2017. In the absence of the prospect of wider national action, local businesses have a significant opportunity to enhance the local economy and combat climate change through their operations. Glen’s Garden Market, based in Washington, DC, has been doing just this. From sourcing products within the Chesapeake Bay watershed to powering its stores with clean energy to providing living wages, Glen’s has been quietly pushing the environmental and social sustainability envelope while also incubating other small businesses as suppliers. Emily Robichaux, a studen...2017-01-0538 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 06: Wendy Gordon of PIPs RewardsWendy Gordon never set out to become a tech entrepreneur. But, after several decades working with environmental organizations, she saw an opportunity. Wendy and her co-founder David Sand thought to themselves, “Wouldn't it be nice if there were a program where you could get reward points not just for spending money but for spending money wisely and for making other smart choices - like walking or biking to work, opting for renewable energy or a certified pre-owned iPad, or choosing clothes based on where and how they were made?” And so, they embarked on a journey to create PIPs Rewa...2016-12-1539 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 05: Adam Kearney, Props BoardSustainable Business Fridays: Entrepreneurship and Giving Before Taking Martin Freeman of Bard's MBA in Sustainability spoke with Adam Kearney, Founder and CEO of Propsboard, to discuss his early beginnings as a community organizer. Kearney raised over $96,000 in four months for a family in need, taught himself how to code, and founded Propsboard-- a peer recognition start-up that uses office TVs to amplify company’s superstars. Kearney's company digitized Google’s Peer Recognition tool, giving Propsboard the edge that it needed to compete in today’s marketplace. This interview also dives into Kearney's successes, failures, and timeless lessons on the road to becomi...2016-12-0136 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 04: Tom Szaky, TerraCycleSustainable Business Fridays: Recycling the Unrecycleable with TerraCycle Alistair Hall from Bard’s MBA in Sustainability spoke with Tom Szaky, Founder and CEO of TerraCycle, to dig into this question, ‘why does garbage really exist?’ What is garbage? It’s a question that Szaky has been working to solve. Szaky and Terracycle start from the premise that everything can be recycled. Glass, metal, plastic are all recycled because there’s a straightforward business case to do so, but how about cigarette butts, paint, diapers, and more? Terracycle’s imaginative approach and drive has taken them to 2...2016-11-1732 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 03: Elizabeth Celaya, Hudson River HousingSustainable Business Fridays: Housing With Compassion, Development With A Vision   Sven Thiessen of Bard's MBA in Sustainability spoke with Elizabeth Celaya, Director of Organizational & Community Development at Hudson River Housing, Inc. Elizabeth oversees the agency’s Community Building & Engagement Department, and provides leadership to chart a course for future growth through strategic planning, partnership development, and fundraising. Elizabeth spearheaded the creation of the Middle Main Revitalization initiative in the City of Poughkeepsie, a cross-sector collaboration focused on revitalizing the heart of the City’s Main Street. Starting with a shoestring budget and a handful...2016-11-0433 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 02: Bahar Gidwani, CSR HubSustainable Business Fridays: Benchmarking Company Performance and CSR Practices Reagan Richmond of Bard's MBA in Sustainability spoke with Bahar Gidwani, CSRhub CEO and Cofounder. Gidwani shared his thoughts on the evolution of ESG metrics and the potential of uncovering “dark data” to drive greater transparency in corporate sustainability. His years of experience running large technology-based businesses and work on Wall Street brings a great depth to the topic of data and corporate sustainability reporting.   Sustainability professionals are becoming inundated with surveys, reporting frameworks, and guidelines. As the reporting metrics evolve, the industry needs more accessible and consi...2016-10-1934 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeS04 EP 01: Maureen Kline, Pirelli TireSustainable Business Fridays: Sustainability In the Name of Innovation & Awareness Katie Ellman of Bard's MBA in Sustainability spoke with Maureen Kline, Vice President, Public Affairs & Sustainability, Pirelli Tire North America on the role that innovation and technology plays in the present and future of the tire industry, to not only make it more sustainable but to also continue to improve performance and safety.  In addition to her work with Pirelli, Maureen also writes a weekly column on sustainability for www.inc.com.  She also chairs the board of the Tire and Rubber Association of Canada an...2016-10-1031 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Macy's Systems & Technology: Managing Change and Developing Human CapitalOn May 6th, Bard MBA in Sustainability will be speaking with LaTrice Ross, Manager, Diversity and Inclusion, Macy's Systems & Technology. LaTrice works to ensure an inclusive environment where all employees are treated with respect. Prior to joining MST, LaTrice worked with Step IT Up America, which was a program designed to train and assist minority women in starting careers as IT consultant. According to Eban Goodstein, Director of the Bard MBA in Sustainability, "Inclusive human resources strategies are fundamental to the integrated bottom line and we are very eager to speak with Latrice to hear how Macy's Systems & Techno...2016-05-2548 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Impact Investing, Women’s Leadership and Financial Literacy with Silda Wall SpitzerOn April 29th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Silda Wall Spitzer, Director and Principal, NewWorld Capital Group. NewWorld Capital Group focuses primarily on business development and deal origination for both growth and infrastructure project investments and works to support the Firm’s portfolio companies. Wall Spitzer also serves as a member of the NewWorld Infrastructure Team. Before NewWorld, she was a Managing Director at Metropolitan Capital Advisors, an investment firm focusing on value opportunities, where she led strategic and business development. Wall Spitzer also served as First Lady of New York State where she worked to support the Adminis...2016-05-021h 05Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Western Union's Shared Value JourneyOn March 18th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Talya Bosch, Vice President, Social Ventures, Internal Communications and Global Events, Western Union about the company's shared value journey.  Talya heads the Western Union Global Engagement Team within the corporate communications function. She leads efforts to leverage the 164-year-old company’s assets – including shared value products, responsible operations, cause-related marketing, data and thought leadership – for greater business and social impact. Previously, Talya helped conceive and implement Western Union’s Our World, Our Family®program, a five year, $50 million commitment to creating global economic opportunity. Recognized as best-in-class with numerous award...2016-03-2259 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Ending World Hunger and Poverty While Caring for the Earth On February 26th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Pierre Ferrari, President and CEO of Heifer International about Heifer's initiatives for addressing hunger and poverty while helping to reinforce and build local communities in the process. Pierre Ferrari was born in the Belgian Congo (today the Democratic Republic of Congo). Ferrari received a master’s degree in economics from The University of Cambridge and a Master's of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. He joined Heifer with more than 40 years of business experience at companies like Coca-Cola USA, CARE and the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund. "Heifer l...2016-02-2959 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: COP21, The Unstoppable Momentum Behind Corporate Climate ActionOn January 29th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Margaret Fenwick, Manager of Environment and Climate at the United Nations Global Compact, the UN’s corporate responsibility initiative for businesses that are committed to aligning their operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and take actions that advance societal goals. (over 12,000 participants in 170 countries).  She will be discussing the UNGC's Caring for Climate program. Fenwick will discuss the UNGC's Caring for Climate program, which endeavors to help prevent a climate change crisis worldwide by mobilizing a critical mass of bu...2016-02-151h 00Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Certifying Sustainability and TransparencyOn February 5th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Eric Henry, President of TS Designs. TS offers the most sustainable t-shirts and printing options on the planet. They use organic cotton, recycled materials and even an organic  “dirt to shirt” grown and made in North Carolina shirts and use water based inks. They also use on site solar, wind and compost power to power much of their facilities.Eric has always had a heart for farming and gardening from a little kid- despite the fact he grew up in a large city. He started out thinking he would study agri...2016-02-091h 00Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays - Community Supported Industry: From Supply Chain to Supply LoopOn December 18th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Susan Witt, Executive Director and Alice Maggio Local Currency Program Director, Schumacher Center for a New Economics when we will discuss a citizen-driven approach that uses “import replacement” as a strategy for local economic development.Join the Bard MBA in Sustainability program for our twice-monthly dial-in podcast series over your lunchtime featuring sustainability leaders from the New York City area and across the planet.Sustainable Business Fridays convenes every first and fourth Friday of the month during the semester, with special guests selected by students in the Bard MBA i...2015-12-291h 02Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Building a Sustainable EMS SystemOn December 4th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Bill Compton, Vice President of EMS Operation, Grady EMS. Grady EMS is one of the largest providers of pre-hospital care in the southeast handling approximately 110,000 requests annually for emergency services dispatched at the appropriate life threatening response level as determined through Emergency Medical Dispatch.Join the Bard MBA in Sustainability program for our twice-monthly dial-in podcast series over your lunchtime featuring sustainability leaders from the New York City area and across the planet.Sustainable Business Fridays convenes every first and fourth Friday of the month during the s...2015-12-0742 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays - Seeing the Forest for the Trees: Business Model Innovation for More Sustainable OutcomesOn November 20th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Cristiano Resende De Oliveira, Sustainability Consultant at Fibria; Rochelle March, MS/MBA '15, Analyst at SustainAbility.Many companies that are flourishing financially today are inherently unsustainable. Despite laudable efforts to make their processes or products more sustainable, no amount of renewable energy sourcing or green product engineering, for example, can change that. There is an opportunity to do business differently, but it requires moving beyond mere product or process innovations for sustainability. SustainAbility’s latest research Model Behavior II: Strategies to Rewire Business outlines key forces influencing business...2015-12-0157 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Leading from Your Legacy, Your Personal and Collective Vision for World HealingOn November 6th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Lev Natan, Sacred Business Coach, The Medicine Tree about leading from your legacy.What does it mean to have a legacy? How do we consciously create a legacy and walk it out into the world? Why is it so important to be thinking in terms of legacy at this time in our world, and how does it relate to business, leadership, and sustainability? Lev Natan is certified both as an Empowerment Life Coach and Integrative Sound and Music Practitioner, and works with change-makers, pioneers, innovators, natural leaders and...2015-11-111h 01Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Changing Tastes - Sustainability in Food Systems with Arlin WassermanOn October 30th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Arlin Wasserman, founder of Changing Tastes on sustainability in food systems.Changing Tastes is a consultancy that helps it clients find opportunity and realize value at the intersection of the five major drivers of change in our food system: sustainability, public health, information technology, demographics and the changing role of the culinary professional. The firm’s insights are the basis for the strategy, innovation, sustainability and performance management services it provides to Fortune 500 and growth stage food companies, public and private investors, and nongovernmental organizations.Arlin also is cha...2015-11-0251 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Building a Cleaner Clean with Saskia van Gendt, Greenskeeping Manager for Method HomeOn October 2nd, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Saskia van Gendt, Greenskeeping Manager for Method Home.  Method Home makes beautiful cleaning products that are as kind to the planet as they are tough on dirt. The company recently opened the industry’s first LEED-platinum certified plant in the South Side of Chicago. Join us to learn more about how Method is setting the standard for clean manufacturing.Saskia is Captain Planet for Method Products PBC based in San Francisco, California. Method designs cleaning and personal care products that work for people and the planet. With a background in li...2015-10-0558 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Certifying Sustainability and Transparency with Catherine Sheehy, Program Manager, UL EnvironmentOn September 25th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Catherine Sheehy, Program Manager from UL Environment. UL advances the recognition of sustainable products and drives purchaser clarity by bringing trusted transparency to the green marketplace. We will explore the shifting landscape and growing importance of independent safety science as we enter a world filled with new, more sustainable technologies.Join the Bard MBA in Sustainability program for our twice-monthly dial-in podcast series over your lunchtime featuring sustainability leaders from the New York City area and across the planet.Dial in: 845-746-2287 (no n...2015-09-291h 02Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Manoj Fenelon - The Gospel of DoubtOn September 4th, Bard MBA in Sustainability spoke with Manoj Fenelon, Director of Foresight & Innovation for PepsiCo about The Gospel of Doubt.In a world teeming with answers, Manoj helps ask good questions that catalyze and channel collective imagination. He has a graduate degree in the study of emotion and has absorbed lessons from experiences across advertising, academia, market research, business strategy, insights and innovation (none of which approach the educational value of starting and running a foresight practice at the world’s 44th biggest company). Manoj is also a First Mover (Intrapreneurship) Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and b...2015-09-041h 02Lead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Leave the World a Better Place: Art and Technology for SustainabilityOn May 1st we spoke with Baldev Duggal, founder and CEO of Lumi•Solair about art and technology for sustainability.2015-06-2447 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Corporate Sustainability Reporting, Assurance and ComplianceOn March 6th we will be discussing corporate sustainability reporting, assurrance and compliance with Kristen Sullivan from Deloitte US.Recently in an interview in the Wall Street Journal about challenges facing CFO's, conflict minerals and the SEC's Conflict Minerals rule, Sullivan had this to say in response the the question, WSJ: "What are you telling CFOs where to begin and what are some of the implementation issues they face?"KS: "In addition to finance, the group should include representatives from legal, procurement, supply chain, sustainability, public policy and investor relations to support the effort from a...2015-03-1358 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeThe Roundary Podcast Vol. 0The Roundary is a podcast, blog, social media, and live event platform dedicated to fostering ideas, stories, and discussions around climate and sustainability. We hope that these conversations come full circle, shaping solutions and improving lives. Launch party event Saturday March 14, 8:30 - 10:30 in the Bard MBA in Sustainability classroom 1150 6th Avenue, 5th Floor between 44th & 45th St. RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-roundary-podcast-launch-tickets-16002504923 The show premiers on 3/15/15 on iTunes and other podcast apps, as well as from our website, www.theroundary.com2015-03-0902 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: Greener Products the Making and Marketing of Sustainable BrandsAl Iannuzzi, Senior Director of Worldwide Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability at Johnson & Johnson12:00 pm – 1:00 pmAl is a Senior Director in the Worldwide Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability department at Johnson & Johnson where he directs the Global Product Stewardship and Green Marketing programs. He has over 30 years experience in the EHS field and leads Johnson & Johnson’s EARTHWARDS® greener product design approach, product stewardship objectives of the Healthy Future 2015 sustainability goals, green marketing, and emerging issues programs. Prior to J&J, Al worked for the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and at an environmental consulting firm. Al re...2014-12-0955 minLead The ChangeLead The ChangeSustainable Business Fridays: JetBlue Sustainability with Sophia MendelsohnAs Head of Sustainability for JetBlue, Sophia Mendelsohn is responsible for both the long-term vision of corporate responsibility and the operational reality of implementing change. Through change-management, Sophia has worked to bring composting to airports and established a recycling system that connects more than 50 airports and 800 flights a day… including the offsetting of over two-hundred million pounds of carbon.2014-12-0957 min