New Hampshire's Largest Gathering of Corporate Social Responsibility Professionals Reaches Record Numbers
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New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility’s Annual Spring Conference was a chance yesterday for individuals and organizations across the state to network with each other and share insights and best practices key to pivoting New Hampshire forward in sustainability. For the 17th year in a row, NHBSR has provided an important platform for cross-sector engagement and collaboration, inviting students and universities, government agency and non-profit professionals, and business leaders from varied industries across New England for an "all hands on deck" approach to sustainability.
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This year's Spring Conference,
Lead the Change
, in Concord, NH, brought together 300 individuals committed to advancing the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda in the state. In the morning, Keynote Leith Sharp, Director of Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership at Harvard University's Center for Health and the Global Environment, introduced participants to a novel leadership paradigm that is emerging in response to a world severely in need of a new leadership model. She challenged participants to re-conceptualize how ideas move through their organizations and to restructure and transform leadership to focus on sustainability, advancing innovation and adaptability, and empowering positive change.
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An afternoon panel of CEOs, all sustainability trailblazers in their industries, shared the personal experiences, choices, opportunities, and challenges they've had as they've positioned themselves to move business forward in CSR. Robert Craven of MegaFood led the discussion which included Joe Keefe of Impax Asset Management LLC|Pax World Funds, Mindy Lubber of Ceres, Jesse Laflamme of Pete & Gerry's Organics, and Amy LaBelle of Labelle Winery. Attendees were then further able to explore local in-depth sustainability efforts and creative solutions throughout the day in smaller breakout rooms. Breakout sessions allowed participants to connect directly to the local resources and like-minded individuals to help them develop their own personal sustainability goals and programs.
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"I am still in awe as I reflect on yesterday’s conference. I have pages and pages of notes and a big stack of business cards – there is so much I am taking away from it. To say I am excited to get more involved would be an understatement! It is incredibly inspiring to be in a room of 300 people who share the same values and who are working toward the same goals. Our state is pretty awesome." Sara Bee, Merrill Lynch
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With a record number of 300 participants, a marked increase from NHBSR's 2015 conference of 200, the out swelling of support for and participation in NHBSR's Spring Conference highlights both the deep need and desire of NH businesses to have positive impact in our communities and take a leading role in creating a more sustainable world.
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