Center for Social Value Creation

Center for Social Value Creation The Center for Social Value Creation embodies a passionate mission: to educate, engage, and empower.

We strive to create a world where businesses operate for the long-term value of both people and planet. Internally, we are the hub of learning for how business is good for society. We represent the Smith school in collaboration with other departments to instill social impact in every sector related to business. Externally, we create future business leaders that will be able to tackle our world’s greatest challenges. These business leaders will shape their organizations to understand the values of both mission and profit.

What does meaningful social impact actually look like inside a company? 🌍Pam Hacker has spent her career answering that ...
10/02/2026

What does meaningful social impact actually look like inside a company? 🌍
Pam Hacker has spent her career answering that question, leading social impact at Sesame Street, HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, and Kyndryl. In this session, she shares real-world examples of how organizations can put their unique assets to work on societal challenges, from storytelling and employee engagement to partnerships, philanthropy, and technology.
The takeaway: it’s time to move beyond traditional corporate giving. Authentic, strategic social impact engages employees, strengthens communities, and creates lasting change.
Join us to learn how your company can use its resources for good.
👉 RSVP here: https://go.umd.edu/PamHacker

⛓️ Plan. Disrupt. Adapt. ⛓️Introducing Chain Reaction, the inaugural competition in the Business Impact Challenge Series...
09/30/2026

⛓️ Plan. Disrupt. Adapt. ⛓️
Introducing Chain Reaction, the inaugural competition in the Business Impact Challenge Series, presented by CSVC and the Supply Chain Management Society (SCMS) at the Robert H. Smith School of Business!
Your team will map and manage a global supply chain, but partway through, a live disruption will hit. You won’t know when, and you’ll have to adapt in real time.
What you’ll get out of it:
🔹 Hands-on experience modeling a global supply chain (no experience required, and there are beginner, mixed, and advanced teams)
🔹 Practice weighing cost vs. speed vs. carbon footprint
🔹 A chance to use AI tools to build a working technical artifact
🔹 A workshop led by supply chain professionals
🔹 A networking brunch with professionals from Uber, Under Armour, Amazon, and more
📅 Key dates
Oct 14, 11 PM: Applications close
Oct 16: Teams announced and case released
Oct 19, 6 PM: Virtual workshop on Zoom
Oct 22, 11 PM: Deliverables due
Oct 23: In-person final presentations and networking brunch
Sign up solo, and we’ll place you on a team, or bring your own group of 3-5. Open to all UMD undergraduate and graduate students, from any major.
👉 Register here: go.umd.edu/BICSChainReaction2026

🚢 A Tale of Two Floating CitiesThe newest Smith Sizzle article is live! This one looks past the cruise industry’s enviro...
09/30/2026

🚢 A Tale of Two Floating Cities
The newest Smith Sizzle article is live! This one looks past the cruise industry’s environmental PR push to a crisis getting far less attention: how cruise lines treat their crew.
Society has been focused on bluewashing, and rightly so. But while cruise lines tout carbon targets and waste filtration upgrades, entry level crew members on lines like Carnival are working up to 98 hours a week for as little as $2.50 an hour, crammed into windowless shared cabins, barred from guest areas, and cut off from family for 6 to 9 months at a time.
The good news? It doesn’t have to be this way. Virgin Voyages shows that a cruise line can treat its crew fairly and still turn a profit, with capped hours, better pay, real living space, and freedom to mingle with guests.
As Gen Z becomes the industry’s core passenger base, and a generation that values fair labor practices and authenticity, crew treatment may become the next frontier cruise lines can’t afford to ignore.
Read the full breakdown here: https://go.umd.edu/SmithSizzle

🚨 Applications are open! 🚨CSVC at the University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business (https://www.linkedin....
09/23/2026

🚨 Applications are open! 🚨
CSVC at the University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business (https://www.linkedin.com/company/robert-h.-smith-school-of-business/) is partnering with Deloitte for the Undergraduate Case Competition, and we want YOU on the floor!
This is your chance to tackle a real-world, impact-driven case, sharpen your problem-solving skills, and connect with Deloitte professionals and fellow undergrads.
📅 Here’s what to know:
✅ Applications Due: October 16th, 11:59 PM
🎤 Final Presentations: November 4th, 6:00-9:00 PM
👥 Teams of 4-5—solo applications welcome!
📍 In-person
🏆 Deloitte workshop + prizes for the top three teams
Don’t miss this opportunity to build real connections and gain hands-on experience!
🔗 Apply now: http://go.umd.edu/UGFall26

🚨 Applications are open! 🚨CSVC at the University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business (https://www.linkedin....
09/23/2026

🚨 Applications are open! 🚨
CSVC at the University of Maryland - Robert H. Smith School of Business (https://www.linkedin.com/preload/?_bprMode=vanilla #) is hosting our Master’s Case Competition, and we want YOU on the floor!
This is your chance to sharpen your consulting skills, tackle a real-world business challenge, and connect with professionals and fellow MS & MBA students.
📅 Here’s what to know:
✅ Apply by: October 16th, 11:59 PM
🎤 Final Presentation: November 11th, 6:00 PM
👥 Teams of 4-5—solo applications welcome!
🎓 Faculty-led workshops included
📚 Open to all MS +1, Masters, and MBA students
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable consulting experience and grow your network!
🔗 Scan the QR code on our flyer or apply now: https://go.umd.edu/MSFall26

CSVC is thrilled to recap a fantastic 6th annual Sustainability in Business Conference (SIBC)! 🌱Over 120 attendees joine...
09/22/2026

CSVC is thrilled to recap a fantastic 6th annual Sustainability in Business Conference (SIBC)! 🌱
Over 120 attendees joined us for a full day of conversations on the future of sustainability in business — and it was one for the books.
Thank you to our incredible speakers:
    •    Marcene Mitchell, SVP of Climate Change, WWF
    •    Jennifer Silberman, SVP, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Dollar Tree Stores
    •    Sarah Mihalecz, VP, Energy Transactions, CEBA
    •    Blair Winston, Director of Sustainability Strategy, Mastercard
    •    Joniel Cha, Data Center Energy Strategic Negotiator, Google
    •    Michael Winters, President and CRO, WinCup
    •    Rebecca Goodstein, Senior Manager, Environmental Programs, Patagonia
    •    Will Davis, Director, United Nations Information Center, Washington
    •    Christina Kwauk, Gender, Education, and Climate Change Specialist, Unbounded Alliance
    •    Holly Crilly, Senior Director of Member Relations, WBCSD – World Business Council for Sustainable Development
And our moderators:
    •    Evan Lutz, Founder and CEO, Hungry Harvest, and Executive Advisor, CSVC
    •    Bennet Zelner, Associate Professor of Business and Public Policy, UMD Robert H. Smith School of Business
A special shoutout to our Project Management Lead Elise Cagan who led this event with dedication and care — planning and executing a conference of this scale is no small feat, and the results spoke for themselves. Thank you as well to our advisors, Nima Farshchi and Eileen Chen, for their continued mentorship and guidance, and to the entire CSVC team whose hard work behind the scenes made this day possible.
We’re proud of what our team accomplished and energized for what’s next at CSVC!

🧱☀️ Can LEGO prove renewable energy is a walk in the (solar) park?Our first ever Smith Sizzle article is live! We’re bre...
09/15/2026

🧱☀️ Can LEGO prove renewable energy is a walk in the (solar) park?
Our first ever Smith Sizzle article is live! We’re breaking down LEGO’s new solar park investments in Denmark and Virginia, and what they mean for the brand’s climate ambitions.
The upside is real: up to 96% lower lifecycle emissions, a scalable model, and a smart play for financial, regulatory, and reputational positioning.
But there’s a catch. LEGO is also pouring resources into alternative plastics, a much shakier bet, and splitting focus right as its 2032 absolute emissions target comes into view. Land use, timeline risk, and greenwashing exposure round out the tradeoffs.
Our take: LEGO should double down on energy, not alternative materials, if it wants to hit its climate deadlines without compromising the brand.
Read the full breakdown here: https://go.umd.edu/SmithSizzle

📣 Say hello to The Smith Sizzle by CSVC!Hot takes on business strategy, served biweekly. 🌶️The Smith Sizzle is the Cente...
09/12/2026

📣 Say hello to The Smith Sizzle by CSVC!
Hot takes on business strategy, served biweekly. 🌶️
The Smith Sizzle is the Center for Social Value Creation’s flagship student-driven thought leadership publication, delivering sharp case analyses that dig into corporate decisions through the lens of long-term strategy, social responsibility, and sustainability.
Each issue combines in-depth research with bold, case-based recommendations — giving readers a real window into how Smith’s next generation of business leaders and change agents think.
Whether you’re an alum, mentor, or fellow Terp, follow along to see how tomorrow’s leaders are challenging today’s playbook. 👇

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