• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

University of Michigan's Erb Institute Unveils New Student Internship to Bridge Business and Non-Governmental Organizations

Posted on: Wednesday, 9 May 2007, 09:00 CDT

The Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise at the University of Michigan today announced the formation of a new Corporate Sustainability joint student internship sponsored by Dow Chemical and Environmental Defense. The joint internship, being launched this summer, is designed to provide Erb Institute MBA/MS candidates an opportunity to work with leaders at the intersection of business and the environment. The program and selected student interns were unveiled and highlighted at a revolutionary summit on business and the environment hosted last week at the Institute.

Held May 3-5 at the University, the summit entitled "What Do NGOs Want? Challenges Facing 21st Century Environmental Groups" and organized by the Erb Institute, was designed to spark dialogue and extract new insights for collaboration between NGOs and businesses. Bringing together a diverse group of experts, including academic scholars, NGO representatives and members of the business community who work with NGOs, the conference will produce a book illuminating the potential and the pitfalls of NGO engagement with corporations.

Participants agreed that in recent years environmental NGOs have shifted their efforts from influencing government policy towards directly influencing corporations and markets, through a mix of "carrots" and "sticks." World Wildlife Fund and Environmental Defense partner with corporations to increase profits while cutting greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, Greenpeace works to "Exxpose Exxon" and its efforts to delay action on global warming, while Rainforest Action Network's "Say No to New Coal" campaign pressures Wall Street to stop financing new coal plants. Business leaders admitted they have trouble evaluating the costs and benefits of partnerships with NGOs, and that they make decisions about such partnerships more on faith than on careful analysis. Academics called for greater accountability and transparency on the part of NGOs, and better documentation that corporate campaigns produce meaningful results. All agreed that solving the climate problem will require greater business engagement, but also strong government policy and increased technological innovation.

"NGOs play a vital role in addressing complex environmental issues such as climate change and the conservation of biodiversity," stated Thomas P. Lyon, PhD, director of the Erb Institute and NGO Summit Organizer. "At the same time, the landscape in which they operate is changing rapidly, requiring a shrewd mix of collaboration and confrontation to increase membership and funding, form alliances and change corporate behavior. In addition to the NGO Summit, the Erb Institute has demonstrated its commitment to furthering partnership between NGOs and business with the launch of our new joint internship program."

The Dow Chemical/Environmental Defense Corporate Sustainability joint internship program gives students interested in working at the intersection of business and the environment an opportunity to gain experience with some of the leading practitioners in the field. Over the course of two summers, students will have the opportunity to view corporate social responsibility through the eyes of a Fortune 100 company -- Dow Chemical Co. -- and a leading environmental advocacy group, Environmental Defense. Students will emerge having a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by companies and NGO's in their strategic approach to sustainability.

Ali Moazed and Marc Weatherill, MBA/MS candidates from the class of 2009 and students at the Erb Institute, were selected for the inaugural Dow Chemical/ Environmental Defense Corporate Sustainability joint internship program. Each student will spend one summer working with Dow Chemical and one with Environmental Defense, developing and presenting a report at the start of each new academic year to program advisors.

For more information on the NGO Summit and/or The Dow Chemical/ Environmental Defense Corporate Sustainability joint internship program, visit http://www.erb.umich.edu/Default.htm

About the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise

Created in 1996, the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise is a 50-50 partnership between the School of Natural Resources and Environment and the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. The Institute fosters professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability -- that is, meeting the fundamental needs of a growing human population in an equitable manner within the means of nature. Utilizing a collaborative approach, the Institute helps business, government and civil society organizations to achieve meaningful progress toward sustainability. Its mission is be a premier source of knowledge and leadership for the achievement of environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development and enterprise.

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category