Taking Positive Actions to Create a Sustainable World with Net Impact
All around the world, people are stepping up to make a positive change in their communities, all with the same goal of improving the world for generations to come. But they also have something else in common, something that brings them all together even if they are separated by numerous miles: purpose. Community changemakers develop a purpose so strong that they have the ability to influence people to make a difference for the better. Net Impact is just one example of a global, purpose-driven community, with a strong dedication to its ultimate mission of driving meaningful change in local communities. At Pepperdine Graziadio, we are developing our own changemakers through impactful organizations like Net Impact.
Net Impact, a division of GOOD Institute, mobilizes new generations to use their skills and careers to drive transformational social and environmental change. Through its unique mission, vision, and values, Net Impact continuously cultivates a global community of students and professionals who want to become the most effective change agents they can be, for others and themselves. At Pepperdine Graziadio, Net Impact strives to give their members the skills, experiences, and connections that will allow them to have the greatest impact now and throughout their professional careers.
Being one of over 435 chapters in the world, Net Impact at Graziadio takes on social challenges, protects the environment, invents new products, and orients business toward the greater good. In short, they help their members turn their passions into a lifetime of world-changing action.
In honor of Earth Month, Net Impact challenges YOU to go out in your community to volunteer, give back, and change a habit that will positively impact our planet.
Below are ten ways you can celebrate Earth Month:
- Volunteer for a community clean-up
- If you don't recycle, start recycling now
- Switch out your light bulbs to energy-saving ones
- Reduce plastic use
- Plant a native tree
- Swap and trade items with friends
- Compost your kitchen scraps
- Seek out sustainable alternatives
- Reuse everything you can
- Carpool whenever possible
Mission
Net Impact's mission is to inspire and equip emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world. Using the SEER framework, Net Impact members are mobilizing the next generation to make a positive impact in the world with a focus on gender and racial equity, sustainability, and ethical practices.
Objectives
- Foster the tough conversations that push society forward and reimagine the intersection of people, planet, and profit.
- Promote sustainability and climate change goals.
- Recruit a new wave of leaders who want to make a positive difference, know how to do it, and have the right community behind them.
- Redesign unsustainable systems, reuse daily products, and reimagine nature's role in society.
- Create an equitable society by committing to making unbiased choices and being anti-racist in all aspects of our lives.
- Initiate change in our communities through acts of service.
- Stand up against the status quo and make a difference.
Testimonials
William Moseley | MBA ‘22 | President
Why did you want to become a leader for the organization?
“2022 brought a return to in-person activities. We can only hope that 'returning to in-person' becomes a thing of the past, but I jumped at the chance to capture the excitement of expanding possibilities. I’ve been very fortunate to work with a like-minded group of officers and club members who have brought all sorts of great ideas together. The Habitat for Humanity build sponsored by Michael Mardirossian, our VP of Community Service, was a great example of locally building up Net Impact’s 'Social Foundation” for the Regenerative Economy.'"
What opportunities does Net Impact provide to students at Graziadio?
“Net Impact provides the opportunity to understand how singular and group actions affect both business and environmental ecosystems. When those two ecosystems intersect, I find that being a part of the Net Impact club can yield the most value. A unique offering of Graziadio’s MBA program is the SEER Certificate, which is achieved through coursework that demonstrates the value of Socially, Ethically, and Environmentally Responsible business practices. This year, Net Impact members put the SEER mindset to work on a local scale by working with Habitat for Humanity in Long Beach, nationally by taking 2nd Place at an Ethics Case Competition at Baylor University, and internationally by hosting virtual speaker Andrew Zolli from Planet Labs PBC who spoke on COP26 and how global businesses can advance sustainability goals for the entire planet at a greater pace than governments.”
Jessie Meck | MBA ‘22 | VP of Marketing and Communications
What are your goals as a leadership member for Net Impact?
“As a leadership member for Net Impact, my goal is to positively impact the world by mobilizing the next generation of leaders to use their skills and careers to facilitate change. Net Impact is lucky to have an incredible group of leaders and members who also believe in serving something bigger than themselves and help make this goal a reality on a daily basis.”
Michael Mardirossian | MBA ‘23 | VP of Community Service
What community aspects brought you to Pepperdine Graziadio?
“Pepperdine Graziadio's holistic focus on developing thoughtful business leaders is what drew me to this community. The SEER Certificate, which goes hand in hand with Net Impact, not only embodies my personal values but also showcases how we can utilize business to be a force for good in today's society by positively contributing to our environment and community.”
Alexander Collins | MBA ‘22 | VP of FEMBA/EMBA Relations
Why do you feel connected to the organization?
“Coming from a technical background rooted in engineering, oceanography, and manufacturing, I have become deeply passionate about reducing the byproducts that are created from many of the essential processes in our daily lives. Net Impact’s mission to inspire and equip emerging leaders to build a more just and sustainable world deeply resonates with my business aspirations, as well as personal values and dreams of a world that is more efficiently and intentionally engineered.”
Get Involved with Net Impact!
Net Impact is shaping purpose-driven leaders – creating a domino effect of doing good every day for the community and environment surrounding us. If you too would like to make a positive impact, join our Graziadio family of changemakers at Net Impact! For more information on how to get involved, visit the Pepperdine Graziadio Net Impact website and connect with our leadership team. To stay up to date with current events and happenings throughout the year, follow Net Impact on Instagram and LinkedIn.