United College hosted a panel discussion on “Business For Good” on 9th December 2022 in collaboration with Idea Studio. With the moderator as Ms Bipana Panthi, Business Development Fellow at Idea Studio, the panelists were Adhip Poudyal, CEO of Saral Mind Digital, Rameswori Bakhunchhe Suwal, Assistant Professor at Khwopa College and Roshna Subedi, Campaigns and Education Associate at WWF. The panel discussion went really well with our attendees who were Entrepreneurs/ Business people, students and academics from different universities and representatives from United Academy and ISN network.
Making a living or earning money through the production, acquisition, and sale of items is referred to as doing business (such as goods and services). There is no doubt that certain firms have received negative press for their conduct when they prioritized their own bottom line over society or the environment. However, there are times when corporations can be a force for good, provided that their goal is to serve the community and sustainably meet societal needs rather than just make money.
Regarding this, the panelists had a discussion on how a business can leave a positive impact. Since business is not only done to maximize profit but also to improve society and the lives of its stakeholders. Additionally, our panelists gave excellent responses to the questions of Why leaving a positive impact is important and How can businesses maximize their impact on society.
Customers increasingly believe that they should examine a company's external influence in addition to its merits as a provider of goods or services before choosing it. Businesses that not only want to conduct business but also do so with a positive impact have grown in number due to this trend. What has worked, what has been adopted, what would work, and how can the next generation of innovators and impact leaders be empowered were questions posed to the panelists in relation to this.
In addition to building a successful firm for themselves, a new generation of entrepreneurs is now focused on this side of the business and how they may do good for the world and their society. This is also the case in Nepal, where businesses that support beneficial social and environmental effects have been founded and grown. businesses such Tyre Treasures, Doko Recyclers, Kashyapi, and Khaalisisi.
In order to encourage more firms to be a force for good rather than just profitability, it is crucial that we instill the idea of Businesses for Good in Nepal in the minds of aspiring entrepreneurs in universities. The panelists talked about how to use global perspectives and mindsets to develop disruptive innovations and build sustainable business solutions. The panel sought to serve as a means of serving that purpose through discussion of the various aspects by the panelists.
Author: Monika Poudel, United Alumni Secretary
