Events & Calendars Problem Solvers Speakers Series presents Christine Bader '93 "The Evolution of a Corporate Idealist: When Girl Meets Oil"

The Problem Solvers Speaker Series highlights Amherst College alumni who are engaging some of the world's most pressing challenges through creative and innovative strategies – professionals who are exploring new models and methods for addressing social and/or environmental problems. Speakers in this series both enliven students' imaginations about what's possible in their own career path as well as steps they can take right now to develop skills and mindsets that would serve them well as future problem solvers themselves.

Do you believe that business can be a force for good—but wonder why companies cause so many problems?

Do you aspire to earn a comfortable living, but don’t want to measure yourself by your salary or your company’s earnings?

Are you choosing to work in a big company as your way to have a positive impact on the world?

Do you worry about reconciling your personal ideals with your company’s mission and core business: some days they’re perfectly aligned, other days you feel like you put on someone else’s skin?

If so, YOU are probably a corporate idealist, too.

Corporate idealist and change agent Christine Bader '93 believes in the power of business to do good in the world. Her persistent optimism and emphasis on imagining what's possible led her to pursue a career in Corporate Social Responsibility, pushing multinational corporations towards better social and environmental practices from inside and out.

Bio: Christine Bader is author of "The Evolution of a Corporate Idealist: When Girl Meets Oil" and an advisor to BSR (Business for Social Responsibility). Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Fast Company, and numerous other publications; and she has spoken at conferences, companies, and universities around the world, including a TED talk in July 2014. She worked for BP from 1999-2008 in Indonesia, China, and the company's UK headquarters, then served as advisor to the United Nations special representative for business and human rights. Christine played squash and rugby at Amherst and competed in the 2002 World Ultimate Frisbee Club Championships, but now finds her athletic glory jogging along Manhattan’s Hudson River. She lives in her native New York City with her husband and toddler twins.

This event is co-sponsored by the Amherst College Career Center, Center for Community Engagement and the Pre-Business Group.