CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – At University of Virginia, a student group is doing their part to bring businesses into the climate conservation movement. The Darden Sustainability Conference, hosted in part by student organization Net Impact, was a day of conversation on how businesses can implement real change, set real goals, and make a real impact on the planet.
“What’s interesting is we’re starting to see businesses set goals that might be more ambitious than what they really have to do,” said Net Impact Co-President Andrew Yowell. “We’re trying to accelerate beyond what is required of us.”
Yowell and fellow co-president Kristen Cugini said the narrative surround corporations’ relationships with the planet is already shifting, and Darden is a part of that movement.
“We’re really trying to help our students and attendees envision how sustainability touches all aspects of business,” Cugini said.
The conference brought in panelists from as near as Charlottesville, and as far as California, representing Dominion Energy, Duke Energy, and Boston Consulting Group.
“We have panels on renewable energy, climate, tech investing, corporate sustainability and public policy and talking through, you know, sort of progress that’s been made, and the challenges that lie ahead in terms of sustainability efforts across a range of industries,” Cugini said of the topics slated for panelists to discuss.
Cugini and Yowell said the day focused on tangible goals companies can set and action steps they can take that will reduce carbon emissions.
“We’re talking about renewable energy, so incorporating that into the electricity that businesses use corporate sustainability efforts like measurement and decarbonization strategy, looking at innovation through clean tech investing, I think there’s really endless opportunities for businesses to start implementing these into their business practices,” Cugini said.
Net Impact said conversations like this are essential to progress.
“This is businesses, large and small, everyone can make an effort in this regard, and it doesn’t necessarily have to be directly with how their business operates, but really getting involved in the communities and in policy as well,” Yowell said.
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