I selected this program because it fit really well into my schedule, and graduation plan, and I was interested in learning more about corporate social responsibility issues. My favorite part of the program was getting to spend time with my fellow students on a more personal basis than I would normally have during night classes. I also enjoyed the structure of the program where we spent most of our time on site visits to multinational corporations in a variety of industries.

 

The most challenging aspect of this program, but also in some ways the most interesting, was that we tried to unravel the public relations “veil” that big corporations put up around business ethics. We really had the chance to get to the heart of the CSR debate with these companies. My biggest takeaway from this course is that if corporate social responsibility becomes fully integrated in a company, and is the norm, then much good can be harnessed from corporations.

 

One of the key influences the Ethics Seminar had on me was that it has made me more sensitive to environmental issues and corporate responsibility issues. I try to support organizations that have solid stewardship and CSR programs. CSR is something I incorporate into my decision matrices for all projects my organization undertakes now. Studying abroad has by far been the most engaging part of my Carlson education.