World Expo-sure

Hi there! I realized that I have neglected to tell you about the purpose of my trip to Shanghai, so I think now would be good time to do that. As a part of the Clinton School curriculum, each student is required to undertake an International Public Service Project (IPSP). If you take a look at my Class 5 Classmates blogs, you will see that we are all over the world this summer. I decided that I wanted to come to China and after talking with one of my classmates from Class 4, Todd Moore, I narrowed it down to Shanghai. I was comfortable with my project being just about anything because I knew that no matter what, it would be a learning opportunity that I would never forget and I would be helping people. After contacting Sam Lee at InnoCSR, I confirmed that my project would be all about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). InnoCSR is a strategic consulting agency that specializes in Sustainability and CSR. I have provided a link to InnoCSR’s website if you would like to learn more about the organization.

For my project, I will be working with Bayer China to create CSR factsheets that will summarize Bayer China’s amazing CSR initiatives. Bayer China is currently involved in projects that range from microfinancing to restoring and maintaining a lake in Bejing that has become a wetland ecosystem to providing medicines to organizations that are working to save moon bears. These factsheet summations must be done in a very concise manner so as to inform stakeholders, shareholders and current/future partners about the goals and objectives, financial and human investments and measured outcomes of these initiatives.

My first day at work was pretty amazing. I sat in on a couple of interviews for a driver for the CEO and although I have no idea what they were saying (because let’s be clear, right now I speak a few words of Chinese and that’s about it), I was asked what I thought about the interviewees and my pick was hired! I realize that the two may have absolutely no connection, but I can dream, can’t I? After doing some research on project management systems and working on a couple of chapters of a book on CSR, my first day ended with a planning meeting for an event for an organization called NetImpact (www.netimpact.org). At this meeting I met an American woman (Kris) who is utilizing her JD to conduct various trainings related to the Human Resources functions of her company, an Italian man (Alessander) who’s company is focused on LEED certifications for the buildings and new construction efforts in China, and a young Chinese male (Bo) who works for a company that is devoted to transforming the energy industry to be cleaner and more efficient. What a day!!!

Trenia’s Finale:
What if your bodily waste was used to power your home? I know it’s kind of disgusting, but bear with me. During the NetImpact meeting there was an intense discussion (no pun intended) about the energy industry and the work that Bo’s company was doing. Bo mentioned this concept of turning the gas that is emitted from the waste of animals and humans into energy that can be used as electricity. All I could think about was the environmental benefits that would come from the world turning crap into energy! I was stumped for the rest of the evening.

Welcome to my world…expo-sure!