Vermont Business Magazine A record-breaking crowd attended Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility’s (VBSR) 27th Annual Spring Conference on Wednesday, May 17th. Nearly 340 Vermont business and nonprofit leaders joined state officials and out-of-state guests for the event at the University of Vermont’s Davis Center in Burlington. The gathering was designed to help support business practices that value not only profit, but people and planet as well.
“What a day! It was a great conference, and people seemed very engaged,” noted Margi Swett of Vermont Trophy and Engraving, who attended and presented at the conference. “More than any ‘business conference’ I’ve attended, there is excitement and sustained interest. Having a mission beyond profit is thrilling.”
“This year’s theme was ‘The Road Forward’ and I think we delivered,” said VBSR executive director Jane Campbell. “We explored topics like Capitalism 2.0 and the next generation of social entrepreneurship. Our keynoter Jason Haber discussed the new way businesses are forming, that solving social problems is not an add-on anymore, but it is something that is being baked into business plans from the start more and more often.”
Campbell explained that VBSR’s conference planners worked to create a program that offered something for businesses of all sizes and types. From panels on how to negotiate conflict in the workplace, to how to offer green employee benefits, set goals, design workspaces, and use the voice of business to influence public policy in Vermont’s State House. The organization also built in a number of networking breaks into the day, which is one of the reasons the event recently won an award from Vermont Business Magazine as the Best Business Networking Event in Vermont.
In addition to networking and education, attendees of the event were also able to interact with more than 40 exhibitors, and enjoy a locally sourced menu and Vermont-themed cocktail reception, thanks to conference Localvore Underwriter Vermont Creamery.
“It was truly a very well-planned and executed event with lots of good topics to learn from and great networking,” said Vijay Desai of Desai Management Consulting.
Source: VBSR May 18.2017 www.facebook.com/Vermontbusinessesforsocialresponsibility