Book launch and talkback today with business sustainability expert Bob Willard

A book launch and talkback today with Bob Willard will provide an opportunity for students and faculty to engage with a leading expert on the business value of corporate sustainability strategies.

Willard’s talk at 1pm at 519 York Research Tower, Keele campus, is the first of a series of speaker events. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event, hosted by the York Institute for Research & Innovation in Sustainability (IRIS) in conjunction with Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) and Work in a Warming World. Light refreshments will be served.

The author of three books, including The Sustainability Champion’s Guidebook: How to Transform Your Company (New Society Publishers, 2009) and The Next Sustainability Wave: Building Boardroom Buy-In (New Society Publishers, 2005), Willard has given hundreds of keynote presentations to corporate, government, university and non-governmental audiences.

His business and leadership experience, gleaned from working at IBM Canada for 34 years, has led him to want to engage the business community in proactively avoiding risks and capturing opportunities associated with environmental and social issues. Willard has spoken to audiences around the world on corporate sustainability strategies.

IRIS’s speaker series this year is part of a strategy to reach out to the student body, share knowledge, spread awareness and create networking opportunities for students and faculty. Together with LSF, the series will focus on environmental sustainability and education, culminating in a final symposium on Health, Environment & Education.

On Thursday, Nov. 25, from 1 to 2pm in 305 York Lanes, IRIS will join with the York International Internship Program (YIIP) to create a collaborative campus panel event highlighting international internship opportunities available for work in sustainability and the environment. YIIP offers a range of three-month placements to locations worldwide, working for a variety of initiatives. The panel event will consist of five speakers sharing their unique internship experiences and photographs, as well as their insights on the program.

Anyone interested in exploring the possibility of a York International Internship placement is welcome to attend, meet past interns and ask questions. Light refreshments will be served.