CASI Student Leaders Host Autumn Dinner Discussions

During Autumn Quarter, CASI sponsored three small group dinners (SGD) attended by GSB students. These dinners helped to introduce MSx and first-year MBA students to the organization while providing a space for discussion of issues that rarely surface in GSB classrooms. The three dinner discussions covered corporate political involvement, the implications of countries’ immigration policies for private-sector hiring, and private sector contributions to climate solutions.

The first dinner, moderated by second year MBA student Kathleen Schwind, centered on how and why firms involve themselves in the political process—and what GSB students can do to ensure their future employers are engaging in political donations, advertising, and advocacy in a way that aligns with employees’ values and convictions. Topics of discussion included:

• the distinction between corporate advocacy for specific policies and more general partisan alignment of how firms’ political stances are often intended to appeal to specific consumer demographics
• whether corporate personhood, as established by the Citizens United precedent, exacerbates inequality by concentrating political power among large, powerful companies
• how the role of the private sector in politics is different in India, where corporate political donations and advocacy are less formalized due to different campaign finance regulations

“Hosting a CASI SGD was a highlight of my quarter,” said Schwind following the event. “It was an incredible opportunity to have an in-depth discussion about a topic that I am incredibly interested in and passionate about, with MBA 1s, MBA 2s and MSxers from different backgrounds, many whom I hadn't met before. I walked away with new ideas and some new friends!”

MSx student, and CASI student leader, Matthew Lee moderated the second dinner, during which attendees discussed how immigration policy influences the business environment and what responsibility corporate leaders have to advocate for changes in laws around immigration, visas, and other international labor issues. In addition, the group explored several different aspects and objectives of immigration policy: 

• economic growth, social issues around integration of new migrants, and questions of national identity
• ways in which the political landscape influences immigration polic
• the moral case for nations to embrace refugees

Further discussion centered on how macro trends like demographics, labor markets, supply chain disruptions, COVID-19, and rising nationalism and xenophobia influence immigration patterns and policies globally.

First-year MBA Bharti Singhla served as moderator for the third and final small group dinner, which focused on corporate climate advocacy. One major topic of discussion was how corporate commitments to climate action are often vague and unambitious, such as many firms’ net-zero 2050 plans, which serious scientists and environmentalists tend to view as too little, too late. Similarly, the group debated whether as-yet unproven technologies like carbon capture and geoengineering should be included in long-term corporate emissions reductions strategies. These technologies could provide highly useful, but relying on them to solve the climate challenge may provide cover for firms to delay near-term action on more proven fronts such as deployment of renewable energy, investment in energy efficiency, and improved waste management and biodiversity conservation practices.

“Being able to have these kinds of conversations is why I came to Stanford,” said attendee Tyler Lehman, a first-year MBA interested in climate investing. “It was fascinating to discuss topics ranging from how to motivate CEOs to invest in sustainability efforts to the nuances of large-scale renewable energy infrastructure financing and development.”

Summing things up, CASI student lead and dinner organizer Cooper Wetherbee said: “The Autumn Quarter dinners allowed us to welcome new students from the MSx and MBA1 classes into the CASI community, while also providing a space for deep conversations and reflection on critical issues that rarely come up in the GSB classroom environment. I’m excited to continue planning and hosting events like these in the future.” 

CASI is planning to host three to five dinners covering a new set of topics during Winter Quarter 2023, with participation from GSB faculty and industry practitioners in addition to students.