Harvard Business School Alumni Tackle Climate Change in Chicago: Join BEI’s Networking Series and Make a Difference

If you’re an HBS alumnus with a passion for making a positive impact on climate change through your career, BEI invites you to join its Alumni in Climate Networking Series. This series provides an opportunity to connect with local alumni, discuss ideas, trends, opportunities and challenges at the intersection of business and the environment. To learn more about upcoming events, email bei@hbs.edu.

Recently, BEI collaborated with the HBS Club of Chicago to host an event that brought together alumni from various backgrounds who are passionate about combatting climate change through their careers. The event took place at the William Blair office in downtown Chicago and was hosted by Brent Gledhill (MBA 1997). Around 40 alumni were in attendance. The gathering began with a talk by HBS faculty members, Forest Reinhardt and David Bell, who discussed how businesses and governments are adapting their strategies and operations in response to the global climate crisis. They covered various agricultural approaches and the potential impact of solutions like regenerative agriculture on climate change.

Following the talk, attendees had the chance to network with each other and forge connections. I had the pleasure of meeting alumni working on initiatives such as electrifying transportation systems, developing software platforms for ESG reporting, advising farmers on sustainable practices, and entrepreneurs focusing on social issues through marketing firms. The ultimate goal of this series is to establish a climate-focused community in key locations, and we are excited for our next event in June in London!