In the spring of 2024, Net Impact kicked off our 30th Anniversary Global Event Series (nicknamed NI30) to celebrate with a series of different types of events around the world. We are so proud of the Chapters who participated and hope to encourage more Chapters to join the initiative. NI30 events are featured on the NI30 homepage and shared with our global community on a monthly basis. Read on to learn about some of the incredible events hosted in 2024!
[Image Photo Credit: Net Impact Boston] The Boston Professional Chapter hosted their 2024 Sustainable Development Goals Summit on September 28, 2024. The half-day event focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (also known as the Global Goals or SDGs) and what is being done locally in the Greater Boston Area to achieve them. The chapter highlighted Boston-based organizations working to achieve the Goals through three panel discussions and networking. Chapter President Ryan Spagnolo reflected “Net Impact Boston used the interconnected framework of the SDGs as a platform to convene local organizations and professionals in the Greater Boston Area around meaningful conversations about creating solutions to our region’s societal challenges. With topics ranging from the Green New Deal to advancing social equity, access and justice to innovation for good, the panelists and the organizations featured in the exhibition represented cross-sector leaders in Boston’s environmental and social impact ecosystem that are bringing the SDGs to life. Having the opportunity to bring these changemakers together was both rewarding and enlightening.”
[Image: Photo Credit Net Impact Chapter Leader McKenna Keisling] The Arizona State University Graduate Chapter hosted their Graduate Sustainability Employer Showcase on Sept 30, 2024. The event aimed to connect graduate students passionate about sustainability with companies committed to sustainability goals. The event featured sustainability consultant Colin Tetreault, a Senior Manager at EY and a lifelong champion of sustainability. Chapter President McKenna Kiesling reflected, “It was really exciting to bring together students, employers, and faculty all passionate about sustainability into the same room-the energy was infectious! We intentionally created a networking format that allowed each student meaningful time with each employer to discover opportunities, make connections, and gain valuable insight on creating their own impact career.”
[Image: Photo Credit Net Impact Chapter Leader Dima Zlenko] The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Kenan Flagler School of Business Graduate Chapter hosted the Careers with Impact Forum 2024 on October 4, 2024. The Chapter welcomed 70 attendees and offered MBA and undergraduate business students the opportunity to learn from business leaders about the skills and perspectives they will need to launch an impact-driven career in business. This year's conference featured a workshop led by Katie Kross, the Managing Director of the Center for Energy, Development and the Global Environment (EDGE) at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, for MBAs seeking a career in sustainability, along with panels focusing on impact investing, real estate, consulting, and more. Featured speakers included professionals from Nike, IBM, and Athian.
[Image: Photo Credit: UCLA Center for Impact] The University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management Graduate Chapter in partnership with UCLA’s Center for Impact hosted High Impact Tea with Gloria Nelund, CEO & Founder, TriLinc Global on October 16, 2024. The event honed in on the perspectives and experiences of the CEO of TriLinc Global, an impact fund founded with the mission to improve the world through investing. Nelund discussed her journey as the founder and CEO, the challenges she faced as a top executive in a male dominated industry, and her commitment to leading with purpose.
[Image: Photo Credit The Responsible Business Center] Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business Undergraduate Chapter, in partnership with the Gabelli Responsible Business Center, hosted Regeneration and Renewal: Investing in Sustainable Food Systems on November 21, 2024. The event featured practitioners, investors, and industry leaders in the food and agricultural tech space and explored opportunities and challenges they face contributing to a cleaner, healthier planet. Featured Speakers included Tahera Hamdani of PwC, Claude Arpels of Slow Money, and John Evangelista of SLM Partners. The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from how to build resilient food systems to the role of policymakers and investors in shaping regenerative practices to integrating indigenous farming practices in modern agricultural frameworks.
Net Impact looks forward to supporting these events happening across our student and professional communities around the world. The public can view all NI30 Events on the Net Impact 30th Anniversary Homepage, and Chapter Leaders can apply to have their chapter’s events included here.
