This spring the Center for Responsible Business is sponsoring two experiential learning classes – Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility – for both MBAs and undergraduates at the Haas School of Business. The classes provide students with real-world opportunities to consult companies on CSR issues of strategic importance.

Now that we’re several weeks into the spring semester, students and their client companies have begun kicking-off the project process. For the next 10-12 weeks students and clients will be working together to solve pressing CSR challenges, brainstorm creative solutions and assess CSR strategies. Students will be immersed in company-centric CSR issues while gaining valuable consulting experience.

The Strategic CSR class is a truly unique opportunity that allows students to work closely with some of the world’s leading companies. Student teams combine multi-disciplinary perspectives – spanning from business to engineering to political science – in an effort to provide their clients with insightful findings and innovative recommendations.

During the semester, I’ll be working with undergraduate student teams to manage the consulting process, overcome challenges and facilitate student learning. As a second year MBA student and the Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) for the undergraduate course, I can vouch for the invaluable experiences the students will have in the coming months. I took the MBA version of the course in Spring 2009 and had a great experience.

—Erik

Throughout the semester, MBA and undergraduate students will be sharing on this blog their experiences and thoughts on CSR issues and projects. Stay tuned – we have an exciting mix of students and projects that will surely deliver interesting results!

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