SEER –
Socially, Environmentally and Ethically Responsible
About SEER – Socially, Environmentally and Ethically Responsible
Pepperdine’s SEER model is a dynamic systems-based approach to integrating environmental and social engagement with sustainable organizational viability to create strategies for true long-term competitive advantage. The model moves past the CSR 1.0 approaches that relegate social and environmental concerns to “nice to have” status, or worse as an additional burden businesses must take on to be good corporate citizens. Using SEER, practitioners examine the interdependencies between environmental risk and opportunity, stakeholder engagement, winning product design and financial health as a prerequisite for authenticity, deeper employee and customer engagement, innovation and creativity all leading to greater financial returns.
Inspired by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, the model was developed by Patagonia’s then CEO Dr. Michael Crooke in his PhD dissertation (under noted Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi) examining highly engaged, values-aligned organizations. As lead faculty for the SEER program at Pepperdine, Dr. Crooke is deploying the model as the foundation of advanced strategy for the next generation of business leaders.
Four Macro SEER Values:
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Corporate social responsibility
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Environmental stewardship
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Financial strength
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Product/service quality
These four macro-values operate synergistically with one another and are essential ingredients to becoming a great company in the 21st century and beyond.
About the SEER Symposium
The Socially, Environmentally, and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Symposium is an annual conference that brings students and social entrepreneurs together with inspirational business leaders who have achieved success using the SEER lens. Speakers include socially-conscious business leaders who have successfully combined profitability with environmental stewardship and social responsibility in the production of their own quality product or service. In addition to an exceptional panel of speakers, the SEER Symposium includes a Fast Pitch Competition that gives start-ups the opportunity to get their idea in front of our panel of experts from the entrepreneurial and lending communities.