Written by Ling Li and Vinit Tipnis
Professors Serguei Netessine from University of Pennsylvania, Jay Swaminathan from University of North Carolina, Jamal El Baz from Ibn Zohr University, and Beril Toktay from Georgia Institute of Technology took part in the inaugural Symposium on Environmental and Social Responsibility in Supply Chains held at the Kelley School of Business on October 19, 2022. Their panel covered various topics in the operations management community, and the scholars answered a range of questions from the audience. The panel discussed the position of sustainable operations management and emphasized the importance of taking a multidisciplinary perspective. The professors shared their unique experience of working with industry partners, from startups in Africa to large organizations such as UNICEF. Currently, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) metrics are sparse, but creating a unique measurement scale not only contributes to improved industry practices, but also supports responsible and sustainable research. In addition to academic and industry collaborations, the panel stressed the value of teaching responsible operations management to MBA students and other broad groups. The panel collectively expressed the need for more impactful and inclusive research in the future.
Discussion on research and teaching in environmental and social responsibility, with panelists (from left): Serguei Netessine, Jay Swaminathan, Jamal El Baz, Beril Toktay