Widening the Boundaries of Social Impact: MBA News

MBA students and alumni of the Kellogg School are expected to join practitioners in the public, private and nonprofit sectors and, in so doing, pick up an insight into how one can achieve career success while also addressing social challenges.

Headlining the event this year is a look at how mission-driven organizations have evolved, with a keynote speech from Martin Edlund, the CEO of Malaria No More - an NGO striving to eradicate the disease altogether in the next 25 years.

Edlund will talk about how his NGO has been drawing on the use of technology and data to raise public awareness and help combat malaria. For example, mobile phones can be used to identify counterfeit medication.

Another recent initiative involved the use of social media. Nigerian Afrobeat star, Femi Kuti (son of Fela Kuti) took to twitter to engage with the NGO’s followers on the subject of malaria and the role of popular musicians in helping to drive social impact.     

However, the conference intends to emphasize that social impact is no longer merely the cause of NGOs - speakers and attendees at the Kellogg School will also look at new strategies being used in the private sector that encompass and encourage social consideration.

Another of the afternoon’s talks, for instance, will be given by Dave Chen, CEO of Equilibrium Capital Group, a platform for sustainability-driven global asset management. Chen is an alumnus of the Kellogg School and, as a member of the school’s finance faculty, takes an MBA module on impact investing.