Three 91社区 MBA candidates took home top prize at this year鈥檚 Global Goals Jam case competition. The competition, hosted by Smith School of Business at Queen鈥檚 University, challenged students to find an inclusive approach to boost staff diversity at Smith.
Thirty teams from 11 universities across Canada took part in the two-week competition. 91社区 was represented by 鈥淭eam Desaustainable,鈥� comprised of second-year MBA candidates Brett Kwan, Simranpreet Kaur, and Ricardo Restrepo. The team鈥檚 presentation, 鈥淒iversity Driven by Design,鈥� proposed using design thinking to better understand a problem and how potential solutions could impact community stakeholders.
鈥淭he competition made us think about the difficult issues organizations face when it comes to diversity and inclusion,鈥� says Ricardo Restrepo (MBA鈥�24). 鈥淚t's not just something one organization can fix on its own; it鈥檚 a collective effort that involves multiple institutions and society as a whole.鈥�
After advancing to the finals, Team Desaustainable traveled to Kingston, Ontario, to face off against teams from the University of Toronto, the University of Western Ontario, McMaster University, and Queen鈥檚 University.
鈥淲e were excited and confident about our work, and equally eager to connect with MBA peers from different schools, sharing and gaining new perspectives,鈥� shares Simranpreet Kaur (MBA鈥�24).
The panel of judges included global equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) advisor Karen Craggs-Milne, startup advisor Norman Musengimana, Smith Professor Kate Rowbotham, and Royal Bank of Canada Senior Vice President John Stackhouse.
Following the presentations, participants shared their strategies and approaches before settling in for a panel discussion on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) trends and career opportunities.
鈥淲e assembled high-level executives from various industries, each representing distinct facets of the ESG landscape,鈥� says Kathryn Durando, Smith Net Impact Club President. 鈥淭he diverse views were enlightening and captivating, especially for an audience of individuals poised to make a difference and drive positive change.鈥�
The day culminated with the award ceremony. After careful deliberation, Team Desaustainable was declared winner. Judges described the presentation as 鈥渃alm, thoughtful and intellectually engaging.鈥�
鈥淚t was a complex case that required an unconventional approach. It was a great learning experience and a testament to our collective team effort,鈥� says Brett Kwan (MBA鈥�24).
