An injection of $600,000 in new funding will ensure the socially responsible conscience of the Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria remains intact through 2021.
Goldcorp Inc. has pledged the funding on top of its $1.25-million commitment to the Centre for Social and Sustainable Innovation, which works to ensure sustainability and social responsibility is part of the lifeblood of all programs, courses and research done at the business school.
“I envision this [funding] will allow us to continue on our trajectory and maintain the momentum we have built up here,” said Monika Winn, the centre’s director. She said it’s too soon to say if the cash infusion will mean being able to hire new staff, but she said it will allow the centre to continue bringing post-doctoral fellows to the school to do research.
Winn said the centre works as both an advocate and champion for the concepts of sustainability and social responsibility in business, and works to seed that kind of thinking in all facets of school life. She said she takes great pride in the fact that the work, which required buy-in from those at the top, the bottom and every layer in between at Gustavson, has “truly become part of the culture.”
“Supporting the CSSI is aligned with our desire to equip the next generation of business leaders with the skills businesses like Goldcorp need,” said Brent Bergeron, Goldcorp’s executive vice-president of corporate affairs and sustainability.
“Goldcorp is committed to sustainable and socially responsible business practices, and CSSI is a thought leader in this field.”
The centre was established in 2010.
“Through Goldcorp’s financial support, CSSI is able to provide research opportunities for students and faculty, hire postdoctoral fellows engaged in sustainability and social responsibility research, host leaders in the field, and collaborate with institutions around the world,” said UVic president Jamie Cassels.
