Welingkar Institute

This school is a premier center for a MBA education in Mumbai and we were welcomed with this amazing graphic made from different colorful sand. Here, we have had many intellectual discussions around the heritage and traditions of India.

We've discussed the importance of sustainability and social responsibility. My curiousity has been heightened around the idea of the private, for-profit sector creating social sustainability programs that benefit either people or the planet. Our presenter challenged us to think about a future where corporations around the world are measured by one single bottom line with no distinction between people, planet and profits, and where demand for a scrutiny in the supply chain drives integration and eradication of societal ills, like child labor. Of course, this is a noble, idealistic viewpoint, but so was the idea to recycle paper and plastic at one point in our past. I think that this is an opportunity for real leadership, a transformational kind, to emerge in the global arena. A massive shift in behavior will be necessary and I think we as shareholders in our organizations and in our world need to drive it. I would like to study the possibilities and be a part of the development and potential.

We see pockets of sustainability today, but (as our presenter summed up), "sustainability is like teenage sex. Everyone claims to be doing it, but half of those actually doing it... are doing it wrong."