Net Impact, a global network of professionals and students using business to improve the world, will present its 2009 conference in Ithaca, NY, Advancing Sustainable Global Enterprise: Changemakers, Innovators, and Problem Solvers. Hosted by and organized in partnership with the Johnson School at Cornell University, the conference will bring together leaders behind the sustainable global enterprise movement, including sustainability and corporate responsibility practitioners, social entrepreneurs, and nonprofit executives.
More than 2,000 professional and graduate student attendees will have the opportunity to learn from visionary keynote and featured speakers, including:
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Jeffrey Immelt, CEO, GE
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Seth Goldman, President & TeaEO, Honest Tea
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Lisa Lorimer, Founder, Vermont Bread Company
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Jeff Furman, Board of Directors, Ben & Jerry’s and Ben & Jerry’s Foundation
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Yogesh Chander Deveshwar, Chairman and CEO of ITC Limited
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Kevin McGovern, Chairman, The Water Initiative
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Rebecca Onie, Founder & CEO, Project HEALTH
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Gillian Caldwell, Campaign Director, 1Sky
The two-day gathering will feature over 300 speakers and 100 sessions including keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities.
“For nearly 20 years, the Net Impact Conference, known for its unmatched energy, has inspired a new generation of business leaders that are equipped to effectively problem-solve, innovate, and drive groundbreaking change in their careers,” said Liz Maw, Executive Director, Net Impact. “This year’s conference will challenge attendees to explore their role in the movement towards a more sustainable and equitable future.”
Participants can expect to meet industry leaders and explore panels across several different topic areas such as energy and environment, corporate social responsibility, international and community development, social entrepreneurship and innovation, and social impact finance.
“We are pleased to be hosting the 2009 Net Impact Conference,” said Dr. Mark Milstein, Director, Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University. “Hosting the conference highlights the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise’s work, the Johnson School’s intellectual leadership, and Cornell’s commitment to graduating students who can address social and environmental issues through innovation and entrepreneurship.”
Read more about the conference, speakers, and sessions at www.netimpact.org/conference, and contact Brenda Kiefer for information about attending the conference as a member of the media at press@netimpact.org.
Sponsors for this year’s event include:
Leadership: SC Johnson
Executive: Coca-Cola, Dell, ExxonMobil, FedEx, GE, Herman Miller, Microsoft Corporation, Starbucks Coffee Company
Associate: Accenture, Altria, Booz Allen Hamilton, Campbell Soup Company, Intel, KPMG, Nestle Waters North America, Sodexo
Supporting: Adobe, Autodesk, Brown-Forman Corporation, The Dow Chemical Company, Ernst & Young, Gap Inc., McKesson Corporation, PG&E, Target, The Walt Disney Company
Local: Dow Corning Corporation, EnerNOC, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, OSRAM, Washington Gas
Premium Media: 3BL Media, Development Crossing, TriplePundit, Videonote
Full Media: Centre for Sustainability and Excellence, CSRWire, Governance and Accountability Institute, Microfinance Insights/Beyond Profit, NextBillion.net
About Net Impact
Net Impact is a global organization of students and professionals using business to improve the world. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and initiatives to educate, equip, and inspire over 15,000 members to make a positive impact through business. Spanning six continents, Net Impact’s membership is one of the most influential networks of students and professionals in existence today, and includes current and emerging leaders in corporate social responsibility, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international development, and environmental sustainability. The Net Impact network includes more than 240 chapters in cities throughout the world and a small central office in San Francisco. Learn more at www.netimpact.org.
The annual Net Impact Conference is the world’s largest event of its kind and has established itself as an important forum for student, business, academic, and nonprofit leaders to network and learn from each other. Past speakershave included the CEOs of Starbucks, DuPont, Coca-Cola, and Patagonia; leaders of nonprofit organizations like YouthAIDS, Room to Read, Children’s Defense Fund, Acumen Fund, and Teach For America; as well as civic leaders such as Al Gore. For more information, please visit www.netimpact.org/conference.
