NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

On November 10th, I have the privilege to sit on a panel at the Hass School of Business at UC Berkeley to discuss base of the pyramid business models with Katie Schmitz from Water Health International and Israel Moreno from CEMEX’s Patrimonio Hoy Program. Sponsored by the Berkeley Net Impact Club and Sustainable Products Solutions Program, the panel is part of a year-long series exploring whether capitalism can evolve towards genuine sustainability.? Assistant Professor Isha Ray from the Energy and Resources Group at Berkeley will moderate the panel. More details on the seminar below.? Hopefully many of you will be able to join!

Capitalism Next Seminar
Date: November 10, 2008
Time: 6 – 8 pm Location: Boalt Hall, Room 110 (UC Berkeley)
Note: Local, organic refreshments and drinks to follow

Across the globe, we are witnessing unprecedented environmental, social, and political unrest. From global climate change and resource depletion to widening social inequality- current economic and political models are proving unsustainable. New models and approaches from the private sector have emerged to tackle these problems. But these approaches are still a drop in the bucket compared to the scale of problems we face. Can we expect business to bring about the change necessary to bring about a sustainable future?

Business does not operate in a vacuum. Rather, it exists in an ecosystem that determines its objectives, opportunities, resources, and constraints. The Capitalism Next seminar series is examining how the ecosystem around business?including the legal/regulatory framework, consumer behavior, the design of products and cities, and our spirituality–needs to change in order for society to make a fundamental shift towards a truly sustainable future.

This session is the second in a series. It will explore whether sustainable growth is in conflict with the booming populations, changing income demographics, and increasing resource scarcity faced by emerging economies? Speakers from Water Health International, CEMEX, and the William Davidson Institute will discuss the opportunities and constraints for sustainability countries, such as India and China, and specific business models aimed to lift people out of poverty.

To RSVP, click here.