Week 1: Introduction to Business for Good

Question 1

What does ‘Sustainable’ mean?

Answer 1

• Sustainable Development has been defined as “meeting the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”
  UN Declaration on Sustainable Development, 1987
• Two halves: “the present needs” vs “the future needs”
• We have never been sustainable!
• Often cast as trade-off. It doesn’t need to be a tradeoff!
• Can we satisfy present needs while enhancing future opportunities? That’s flourishing.

Question 2

Max Roser, data Scientist

(You will need to hold multiple thoughts at once)

Answer 2

• The world is awful
• The world is much better
• The world can do much
  better

All three statements are true!

Question 3

“The world is much better”

Answer 3

• Child mortality reduced 10-fold since 1800s
• Life expectancy doubled in one century
• Extreme poverty reduced nearly 10-fold since 1800s

Question 4

Yet…“The World is Still Awful”

Answer 4

• 5 million children under 5 die each year
• Natural species are disappearing at 1000x the expected
  rate
• 770 million people live in extreme poverty in 2021
• If current trends continue, the world will warm 3 to 4 degrees C by 2100, with multiple severe consequences
• 25% of the world’s inhabitants don’t have access to clean and safe water
• The level of income inequality in North America is higher than it’s ever been in the last century
• Women and visible minorities still have higher unemployment rates and lower salaries

Question 5

“The World Can Do Much Better”

Answer 5

We can address acute environmental/social issues. Examples:
* Acid rain. Sulfur dioxide emissions mostly from coal plants cut by 95% from peak in the 1970s
* Ozone hole. Montreal Protocol signed in 1987. Replaced CFC gases used for refrigeration. Reduced emissions of CFCs by 99.7%.
* Every day, 300,000 people gain access to electricity and clear water!
* Access to education and literacy: over 85% of adults can read today only 50% in 1950s
We need to do better, faster!

Question 6

What is the role of Business in this context?

Answer 6

Culprit? Profiteer? Bystander? Obstacle? Problem‐solver/Ally?
That’s why we are here: to reimagine business’s role in society and explore ways for businesses to better contribute to social and environmental well‐being.

Question 7

Albert Einstein Quote

Answer 7

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”

Question 8

Course Map

Answer 8

Business is too often seen as its own, disconnected realm of activity, separate from society

Images:

(((Manager) Firm) Industry)

Separate:

(Natural environment) (Society)

This course will
explore how business
is embedded within society and nature
& how business
action at various
levels industry – firm
– manager can
address social and
environmental issues

Images:

((((Manager) Firm) Industry) Society & Nat. Env)