New Hampshire's Largest Gathering of Corporate Social Responsibility Professionals Reaches Record Numbers

New Hampshire's Largest Gathering of Corporate Social Responsibility Professionals Reaches Record Numbers

New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility’s Annual Spring Conference is a chance for individuals and organizations across the state to network with each other and share insights and best practices key to pivoting New Hampshire forward in sustainability. For the 17th year in a row, NHBSR has provided an important platform for cross-sector engagement and collaboration, inviting students and universities, government agency and non-profit professionals, and business leaders from varied industries across New England for an "all hands on deck" approach to sustainability.

This year's Spring Conference, Lead the Change, in Concord, NH, brought together 300 individuals all committed to advancing the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda in the state. In the morning, Keynote Leith Sharp, Director of Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership at Harvard University's Center for Heath and the Global Environment, introduced participants to a novel leadership paradigm that is emerging in response to a world severely in need of new leaders. She challenged participants to re-conceptualize how ideas move through their organizations and to restructure and transform leadership to focus on sustainability, advance innovation and adaptability, and empower positive change.

An afternoon panel of CEOs, all sustainability trailblazers in their industries, shared the personal experiences, choices, opportunities, and challenges they've had as they've positioned themselves to move business forward in CSR. This panels was moderated by Robert Craven of MegaFood and included Joe Keefe of Impax Asset Management LLC/Pax World Funds, Mindy Lubber of Ceres, Jesse Laflamme of Pete & Gerry's Organics, and Amy LaBelle of Labelle Winery. Attendees were then further able to explore local in-depth sustainability efforts and creative solutions throughout the day in smaller breakout rooms. In these smaller breakout sessions, participants had the chance to connect directly to the local resources and like-minded individuals to help them develop their own personal sustainability goals and programs.

With a record number of 300 participants, a marked increase from NHBSR's 2015 conference of 200, the out swelling of support for and participation in NHBSR's Spring Conference highlights both the deep need and desire of NH businesses to have positive impact in our communities and take a leading role in creating a more sustainable world.

About New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility

NHBSR is a vibrant community of nearly 200 businesses, nonprofits, and governmental agencies working together to support sustainability efforts in New Hampshire. Since its inception in 2000, NHBSR’s instrumental role in driving Corporate Social Responsibility into the core of how NH companies do business is exemplified by its many services and programs, including: NHBSR’s Spring Conference, Community Roundtables, Sustainability Slam, partnership for Energy Week and, most recently, collaborative advocacy efforts that have brought together over 60 leading NH businesses in urging lawmakers to support policy for a clean energy environment.

For more information, contact Michelle Veasey at (603) 391-8472 or michelle@NHBSR.org