Dow Joins Forces with Erb Institute to Expand Sustainability Literacy through Online Education Series

MIDLAND, Mich. - April 11, 2018 - In celebration of Earth Day, The Dow Chemical Company and the Erb Institute of University of Michigan are partnering to host the inaugural Elements of Sustainability Series, a free online education event taking place April 16-20, with webinars posted daily at 3 p.m. ET.

The week-long webinar series will explore the fundamentals of sustainability as seven renowned academics share their expert insights on the leading global challenges shaping the future of business, society and sustainability.

“Our aim is to educate and empower participants to think critically and creatively about sustainability’s role in all aspects of their life, whether it be within their organizations or their homes,” said Erica Ocampo, sustainability strategy manager for Dow Consumer Solutions and organizer of the webinar series. “The more people who actively incorporate sustainable thinking into their everyday lives, the greater chance we have to create long-lasting positive change.”

Webinars will go live at 3 p.m. ET each day and share the presenters’ unique perspectives, experiences and research in sustainability and business:

  • April 16: A Brief History of Sustainability and Business Transformation presented by Dr. Sara Soderstrom, University of Michigan and Reducing Environmental Impacts Using Life Cycle Assessment presented by Dr. Jeremiah Johnson, NC State
  • April 17: The Follies of Neoliberalism: A Sustainability-Oriented Approach to Business and Society presented by Dr. Tima Bansal, Ivey Business School
  • April 18: Climate Change: How to Tackle a Wicked Problem presented by Dr. Daniel Vermeer, Duke University and Consumer Perceptions and Behavior presented by Dr. Kaitlin Raimi, University of Michigan
  • April 19: Decision-Making for the Triple-Bottom-Line presented by Dr. Joe Arvai, University of Michigan
  • April 20: The Next Phase of Business Sustainability presented by Dr. Andrew Hoffman, University of Michigan

The Erb Institute is the University of Michigan’s sustainability partnership between the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability. Dow’s partnership with the Erb Institute aims to serve as a catalyst for sustainable growth and innovation, demonstrating its mission to join forces with like-minded institutions as part of Dow’s 2025 Sustainability Goals.

“The webinar series highlights the importance of collaboration between sustainability and business leaders,” said Joe Arvai, director of the Erb Institute and presenter. “This is another important step towards fostering a culture of idea sharing across both communities.”

To register for the Elements of Sustainability Series, read more about the presenters and explore the topics of their webinars, please visit consumer.dow.com/sustainabilityelements.

About Dow

The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) combines science and technology knowledge to develop premier materials science solutions that are essential to human progress. Dow has one of the strongest and broadest toolkits in the industry, with robust technology, asset integration, scale and competitive capabilities that enable it to address complex global issues. Dow’s market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of advanced materials, industrial intermediates, and plastics businesses deliver a broad range of differentiated technology-based products and solutions for customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, and consumer care. Dow is a subsidiary of DowDuPont (NYSE: DWDP), a holding company comprised of Dow and DuPont with the intent to form three strong, independent, publicly traded companies in agriculture, materials science and specialty sectors. More information can be found at www.dow.com.

About the Frederick A. and Barbara M. Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise The Erb Institute is the University of Michigan’s business-sustainability partnership between the Ross School of Business and the School for Environment and Sustainability. We work with business leaders to help them improve company competitiveness through enhanced social, environmental and economic performance. Our degree programs prepare students to be future business leaders for sustainability, while our research and executive education prepare current business leaders for what’s next in sustainability.

For further information, please contact:

Sharvari Abhyankar
Business Communication Manager
sabhyankar@dow.com