Bruno A. Salas Pérez
ITESM, Campus Monterrey / Boise State University
When the Director of International Business Program at Boise State University, Mark Buchanan, announced that undergraduate students could work with Responsible Business Initiative to produce the Sustainability Report for the College of Business and Economics (COBE), I didn’t hesitate sign up. In this project I have worked on a team with all kinds of students with different interests, ages, and ideas. I also believe the project represents innovation because COBE is the first college in Idaho to create this type of report.
The interesting thing about my participation in this project is that I am an international student visiting Boise State University for only one semester. But the values at COBE are quite familiar to me, even this far from home. At Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM), my home university, where I am pursuing a degree in accounting, the school’s vision for students is “To form leaders with entrepreneurial spirit, human sense and internationally competitive,” and centers its teaching on innovation, global vision, teamwork, human sense and integrity. I have found the same values in my studies in Boise and the sustainability report project is one example.
Being part of the reporting team has taught me that responsible business practices are not only a matter of reporting, but also that it is important to document material information to help management challenge their companies to work towards higher objectives.
Working on the sustainability report has helped me realize that that the most difficult challenges in projects are not technical issues; these are only the basis to operate in the organizations. The most difficult challenges are to create a good synergy between the stakeholders involved and team members. An excellent flow of information and good project management help avoid delays and redundant work.
Students that are aware of the importance of responsible business have more value to offer than students that only earn a degree. This is why I encourage every student strengthen their own sense of responsible business. There is no doubt that being part of COBE’s Sustainability Report is an excellent way to do so.
Without a doubt, I also think that students should set a goal to have an international experience during their time at COBE. My own personal experience has greatly helped me develop personal skills such as understanding different ways of thinking in other cultures, learning how to be successful in an international environment, communicating effectively, and perhaps even understanding how responsible business works from a global perspective.