"Learning About Waste in Organizations and Leadership" by Patty Pina

For our Organizations and Leadership Class, we applied 10% of our time to a self-directed learning project of our choice. For my project, I decided to learn more about waste and what we can each do about it.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, each American produces more than four pounds of waste per day, a figure that has almost doubled since 1960. This is significant because we are running out of landfill space to put waste, wasting natural resources and creating toxicity in our soil and water that can be harmful to our health and the health of future generations. A few months ago, I read a story in a magazine about a woman who believed that a large part of the reason why we create more waste is due to the fact that our trash is “out of sight, out of mind.” We throw things away, put them on our corner, someone comes to get it and we never see it again. As a public awareness message, she decided to carry the waste she produced with her for several months to highlight this issue. For my learning project, I decided to mimic her to learn more about how I personally can reduce the waste I produce.

For four days, a day for every pound the average American produces daily, I carried the waste I produced with me everywhere. I brought my bag of trash to school, restaurants, concerts and grocery stores. I did not include anything that was recyclable, biodegradable or unsanitary. I rinsed out food containers and I would compact everything before I would put it in my bag. The biggest lesson I learned is that when you have to carry your waste, you quickly find ways to reduce it.

Most of my waste was coming from food and beverage packaging. I would throw away coffee cups from Starbucks or Styrofoam salad boxes. To remedy this, I purchased a reusable travel coffee mug and started packing my lunch in Tupperware or in aluminum foil that I would clean and recycle. If I did purchase something, I requested to not have a receipt printed and to have minimal packaging, so no extra bags or napkins. At home, I would wipe down my counters in the kitchen with a rag versus paper towels. I made sure to recycle parts of junk mail that I could, like envelopes or inserts. I bought recycled goods like paper towels in bulk or biodegradable sponges. I purchased a new purse and asked the store clerk to keep the padding they put inside to use on another display purse. These tiny changes were so easy to make and at the end of four days, I only had one bag of trash that weighed about two pounds.

I was amazed by how much I did not even think about what I was throwing away before I started this project. Even during my project, there were times when I would catch myself still throwing something away because it was just second nature to not really think about the waste I was producing. But then I thought more about how easily I could make small changes and how that added up to lots of waste savings, I couldn’t help but be excited every time I realized I was not adding something to a landfill!

Not only did I learn more about how I can make better choices in terms of waste, but I also learned more about the issue in general. As part of my learning project, I read articles, websites and blog postings. Landfills are not only running out of room, but they are also filled with items that can be recycled or reused. Trash in our oceans and water runoff from landfills is contaminating the food we eat and water we drink. Consumer packaged goods companies are working to develop packaging that is minimal and made from recycled sources and I can do my part to increase the demand of these products by spending a few extra cents. For example, I purchased pens that were made with 62% pre-consumer recycled plastic for only $0.20 more than other choices.

In the end, I was thrilled to throw away my bag of trash when my four days were complete. I don’t think we have to live in our trash to solve our waste and landfill problems. However, I do think we each have to think more about what we waste and how we can reduce it. This entire process was so helpful in terms of making me realize how I can personally make a difference in my daily choices for a healthier and more sustainable planet.

Patty Pina, Global MBA 2011

"Business Ethics" by Priyanka Tayal

The first module is over! I have to admit, amongst the hustle and bustle, I am glad to be back at school. The classroom has truly been a knowledgeable experience and it is interesting to see the relevance of business concepts after being in the working world, but also through the realization of my ultimate career goals.

Of my courses from this module, Business Ethics has been the most pertinent in terms of the PRME objectives. Before we even began the course, we were asked to submit a list of 5-7 values that we believed were most important for a successful business. After collecting almost 120 sets of values, the following were the “election results” – Honesty, Respect, Dedication, Innovation, Collaboration, Moral/Ethical/Sustainable, Leadership and Passion. From the outset, it is clear that the purpose and values of this course aligns with those outlined in the Certificate.

The goals of the course were stated as the following: (1) to clarify values, (2) to create ethical awareness, (3) to develop a moral decision-making process, and (4) to learn the central steps in creating ethical business communities that tend to enhance peace and security. These goals are in line with the objective of “Purpose” as the course aims to provide students with an educational framework around ethics in a business environment, and promotes us (as future business leaders) to think scenarios through the main ethical theories pertaining to Shareholders, Stakeholders and Virtues. This was the “Method” through which the course is communicated. Using various real-life cases and scenarios, we were encouraged to use this structure to decipher clear and sound ethical and sustainable decisions.

However, the core of this class came from the “Research” portion as the majority of our final grade is determined by a research paper based on an actual case where a company was faced with an ethical dilemma. Through this intense research, students were able to advance our understanding of the three theories which incorporate “the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value.” My collaborative paper was an incident that the Coca-Cola Company faced against child labor in El Salvador. Through this paper, I was able to explore business decisions the corporation had to make, and the impacts these decisions had on the shareholders and stakeholders. Specifically, the paper’s contents dealt with the first 6 principles that are mentioned in the United Nations Global Compact in terms of “Human Rights” and “Labor”.

Through “Partnership” and “Dialogue” with fellow classmates (and thus former business professionals) as well as Tim Fort (our primary educator in this course) our discussions and debates allowed appreciation of different viewpoints and possibly different ethical frameworks. Especially through the real-life case discussions, we learnt, understood and challenged social responsibilities of corporations, the power of individual and collective values and attitudes within corporations as well as the sustainable precedents set with decisions made in ethical dilemmas.

Tim Fort as a professor is also extremely engaging. He clearly has passion for his subject and is enthusiastic about passing his experiences and learning to the students. I highly recommend this course, even for those who think ethics cannot be taught in a classroom setting. The class will at the least, allow you to acknowledge your own ethics and think about them in a business setting.

Priyanka Tayal, Global MBA 2011

"Back to the Basics" by Priyanka Tayal

Into the first module of my MBA career, to say it is an adjustment after 4 years of working is an understatement. I went to undergrad for my BBA at the University of Miami after which I proceeded to work in the field of Finance in New York city. Undoubtedly my experiences at two of the world’s largest investment banks were priceless, but I knew that my knowledge domain had to be enhanced in order to be in line with my career objectives. Finance helped me discover that the clients I wanted to work with were and are at the other end of the spectrum. Being from India and living, traveling and studying extensively in developing countries, International Development is a natural fit for me.

With this realization came a further insight – education was key to my success. I wanted to pursue a degree which could leverage my business background while allowing me to pursue my goals in development. Here, the George Washington University served as an ideal match. Let alone the political capital that is the Washington DC, GWU through the provision of the Strategic Management and Public Policy domain, has allowed me to align my education with my career ambitions.

Furthermore, pioneering opportunities such as the Certificate in Responsible Management align the union between management (business) and responsibility/sustainability (development). Visualizing my MBA through the lens of development is extremely important for me to get the most from my education, and pursuing possibilities which permit this, such as the Certificate, are vital and valuable.

Priyanka Tayal, Global MBA 2011