The real deal

So, I've been interviewing a bunch of S-Lab student teams for the MIT Sloan Podcast. By way of background, S-Lab (short for Sustainability Lab) is a new MIT Sloan course modeled on G-Lab and E-Lab. Taught by seven faculty members, the course provides in-class instruction on sustainable business, then unleashes student teams on an array of sustainable business projects. So far I've interviewed representatives from:

- A team that provided guidance to Intel on how to make its construction projects across the globe sustainable.
- A team that developed a model to help a startup whose goal is to invest in private education in India.
- A team that investigated whether a company that manufactures all-natural carpets could actually sell carpets that are not only all natural but in a larger sense are "sustainable."

What struck me, beyond the fact that the projects were fascinating, was the passion of the students. For someone who came of age in the era of "Wall Street" and Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities, I was amazed at how genuine the students were about making a difference in the world. Said one student: "At a principled level, at an ethical level, at a moral level, individuals, companies, governments, and other involved entities have to ask themselves, 'What responsibility do we have unto our stakeholders, unto ourselves, unto others, and unto the world in which we inhabit and the world from which we profit?' And the overwhelming answer is: We have a fundamental responsibility to ensure that this world remains sustainable."

Now that -- to hark back to Bonfire of the Vanities -- is a master of the universe. I'll let you know when these Podcast episodes are available.

- Posted by Scott Rolph

Comments

[Surabhi Gupta]

Your sense of humor rocks!~!

[Scott Rolph]

It's OK to comment. Really. OK, no begging, but please: Comment. Thnx!