16

CONFERENCES

339

SPEAKERS

7,675

ATTENDEES

2017 SOCIAL ENTERPRISE CONFERENCELeaders Taking a Stand: Social Impact in Turbulent Times

The current political climate creates an uneasy world stage for companies to navigate. Who are the business leaders who are stepping up to the challenge and leading by example? In turbulent times whom do we look to for leadership? Join us on October 6, 2017 as we explore how to enact social impact across disciplines: philanthropies, nonprofit organizations, social ventures, and traditional business. In this year’s conference you will meet business and organizational leaders who actively use their platform to drive change in education reform, the refugee crisis, job creation for the formerly incarcerated, and climate change.

As Shaiza Rizavi, ’96BUS, emphasized in her remarks at the 2017 Tamer Center for Social Enterprise Awards Breakfast, we each have a role to play for this is our future to form. What could we accomplish together if we each collaborated with one or two people in this room? We have a choice to call upon each other and motivate ourselves and others into action. Take a stand towards driving innovation and impact around social challenges and participate in our day-long interactive workshop led by TYTHEdesign. During the workshop, participants will use the insights and best practices from conference speakers to create strategies and solutions for impact with cross-disciplinary thinkers, innovators, and changemakers.

Speakers

Letter from the co-chairs

Welcome to Columbia University’s 16th Annual Social Enterprise Conference! We are very excited for the engaging and dynamic day ahead.

When brainstorming with students from across campus about what the conference theme should be, we heard a lot of interest in how business leaders use their platforms to address societal change and create solutions. Whether we take action through a business, a movement, or as an individual, we each have a role to play in addressing societal challenges.

How do I identify the challenge? What are the areas of opportunity for impact? What is my role? This year’s conference will provide attendees with a tool set for looking at a societal challenge from the lens of philanthropies, nonprofits, social ventures, or traditional businesses.

This program is designed to deep dive into four critical societal challenges: education reform, the refugee crisis, job creation for the formerly incarcerated, and climate change. Hear how businesses are implementing innovative methods and identifying solutions to address these challenges. Lessons learned can be applied to the day’s workshop.

Attendees will leave feeling empowered and prepared to participate and lead in driving social impact. We hope that you will learn from and connect with each other, and that you continue the day’s workshop well beyond the conference.

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