The Center for Responsible Business at Berkeley Haas connects students, businesses, and faculty to reimagine capitalism for a more responsible, resilient, and sustainable society. Building on more than two decades of research, teaching, and engaging with business, we educate and provoke thoughtful debate. The Center encourages sustainability-minded research and its application in the marketplace of commerce and ideas.
We use the words “sustainable” and “sustainability” in the broadest sense to include social, environmental, and economic considerations. This allows us to explore a wide array of issues, while retaining the flexibility to focus resources and attention for maximum impact. Our current focus areas are human rights and business, reimagining capitalism, and sustainable food.
Corporate and Academic Engagement
Much of the Center’s strength resides in our ability to connect people–our students and faculty–with opportunities to promote sustainability in company settings. We cultivate ideas that cross boundaries and enable collaborations that could not occur elsewhere. Our corporate partners include organizations at every stage along the sustainability spectrum, and stakeholders across UC Berkeley.
Our Philosophy
The challenges of sustainability demand a new narrative for business and a new kind of leader, able to work across boundaries to achieve social impact. The four principles that define Berkeley-Haas–Question the Status Quo, Confidence Without Attitude, Students Always and Beyond Yourself–align with and inform everything we do.
We believe in change through engagement. That means convening what may be unlikely partners for respectful debate and critical thinking, often sparking unanticipated creativity. We believe that sustainable and responsible business is the future of all business.
History of the CRB
The Center for Responsible Business was established in 2002 with the support of several prominent socially responsible leaders, including actor and philanthropist Paul Newman, former Bank of America Chairman Rudolph Peterson, John C. Whitehead, former chairman of Goldman Sachs, and Mike Homer, founder and former chairman of Kontiki. In 2013, the CRB became part of the Institute for Business & Social Impact led by Professor Laura Tyson. The CRB is a self-funded center that depends upon the support of our corporate partners, and individual donors.
