Event Resources
Webinar Recording
Date and Time
Thursday February 2, 2017
11:00 am-12:00 pm
PST
Location
Webinar
It appears that the world will soon be looking to both philanthropic funders and businesses to play an even greater role than before in creating a more inclusive and climate-resilient future. Join us for a webinar to discuss the implications of the U.S. presidential election as it relates to the role of the private sector in promoting action on your top priorities. This will be an opportunity to have constructive dialogue with your peers and brainstorm actionable ideas.
The results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election have already begun to have political, economic, and social implications—funders all across the United States are waiting to see what policy changes the new administration will push forward. They are asking themselves if the progress they have achieved in some areas will be rolled back while others might get more support, and are re-evaluating their funding strategy for 2017 to maximize impact in the face of this uncertainty. Some funders are looking for ways to protect groups they believe will come under attack by the incoming administration: immigrants, women, and minorities. Others are focused on ensuring the United States lives up to its obligations under the Paris climate agreement. There is no shortage of work for the funding community to take on in the next four years.
Businesses are also asking these same questions. Many of them remain resolute on their commitments to climate change, quality employment, and human rights and recognize that long-term value creation for their stakeholders and shareholders depends on remaining steadfast. Some are considering how to align their interests with the new administration in Washington. At BSR, we are working with our more than 250 member companies and partners from foundations, civil society, and elsewhere to maintain—and extend—the private sector’s commitment to a just and sustainable world.
Speakers
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Aron Cramer,
President and CEO, BSR
Aron is recognized globally as a preeminent authority on just and sustainable business. In addition to leading BSR, which has grown substantially throughout his tenure as President and CEO, Aron advises senior executives at BSR’s 300+ member companies and other global businesses and partners on the full spectrum of environmental, social, and governance issues.
Aron joined BSR in 1995 as the founding director of its Business and Human Rights Program. He later opened BSR's Paris office in 2002, where he worked until becoming President and CEO in 2004. Aron has served on advisory boards to CEOs at AXA, Barrick Gold, Marks & Spencer, Nike, SAP, Shell, as well as the Erb Institute at the University of Michigan. He is also a director of the Value Reporting Foundation, the We Mean Business Coalition, and the Clean Energy Buyers’ Alliance, and he serves as a member of the Steering Council for the World Economic Forum’s Board of Stewards of its Future of Consumption System Initiative.
Aron speaks frequently at leading business and public fora and is widely quoted in top-tier media, such as the Financial Times, Le Figaro (France), The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Axios, and Politico. He is co-author of the book Sustainable Excellence: The Future of Business in a Fast-Changing World, which spotlights innovative sustainability strategies that enable business success.
Prior to joining BSR, Aron practiced law in San Francisco and worked as a journalist at ABC News in New York. He holds a BA from Tufts University and a JD from the University of California, Berkeley.
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Eric Olson, Former Senior Vice President, BSR
With more than 20 years in the consulting field, Eric leads BSR's global consulting practice to design and implement sustainability strategies that create business value by addressing some of the world’s greatest challenges.
In addition to advising the CEOs and senior teams of several global companies, Eric plays a lead role on a number of BSR’s collaborative initiatives, including the Renewable Energy Buyers Alliance, the Net Positive Project, and Future of Fuels, as well as our work with the We Mean Business coalition.
Prior to joining BSR, Eric worked with the Natural Step in San Francisco, accelerating sustainability through strategic counsel on a broad range of corporate responsibility matters that included supply chain management and sustainable development. He also has served as vice president at the Boston Consulting Group and was a partner and founding member of the global consultancy Mitchell Madison Group.
Eric was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where he earned an M.S. in Russian and East European Studies. He also holds a B.A. in Chemistry from Macalester College.
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Susan Winterberg, Former Associate Director, Inclusive Economy, BSR
Susan leads BSR’s inclusive economy practice, working with companies on creating good jobs, building diverse and inclusive workplaces, serving marginalized groups through products and services, and supporting local communities throughout global operations.
Susan’s global work experience has spanned more than 20 countries across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia. Prior to BSR, she was a research associate at Harvard Business School, where she focused on socially responsible approaches to corporate restructuring. Her research included automation and economic crises, the business and social benefits of creating good jobs, and how multinational companies can help workers and local communities build resilience to globalization.
She has also previously worked on urban planning and development in Africa, conducted research on deindustrialization in the United States, and worked with retailers and small businesses to service low-income, inner-city neighborhoods.
Susan holds an M.U.P. in Urban Planning from Harvard University Graduate School of Design and a B.B.A. in Finance from the University of Cincinnati.
