USF Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership
David O'Neill, Director
727-687-5943
B is for Benefit
Brittany Gray, CEO and Founder
239-896-4403
Florida For Good
Jennifer Moreau, Executive Director
407-701-1112
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The Business for Good Internship is a unique opportunity for USF students to work directly with business leaders on the B Impact Assessment, an organizational awareness tool that prepares businesses for B Corp certification. This is the first program of its kind in the Tampa Bay Area. It was informed by similar programs at NC State and UF, but with a distinct focus on adding a business consultant into the mix of partners. The partnership between USF, B is for Benefit consultancy, and Florida for Good will give students comprehensive business consultancy training and exposure to the B Corp community with future-focused business values.
The idea for a program at USF was dreamt up by Emma Jacobs, a senior studying Environmental Science and Policy at the USF St. Petersburg campus. After being hired by local investment firm Hygge Advisors to assist with their B Impact Assessment, she knew more students would benefit from learning about the intersection of good business practice and stakeholder values.
Emma shared her idea with Florida for Good Executive Director, Jennifer Moreau, who knew that Bekah Vigil with the USF Bishop Center for Ethical Leadership had a similar ambition. With a passionate student advocate, a university department, and a local B Corp resource, the plan began to fall into place. Bekah and Emma knew there was an opportunity to focus on the student experience and to develop a talent pipeline of local USF graduates into the growing movement for better business in Tampa Bay.
The USF Business for Good Internship gained traction and validation with the addition of the third co-creator: Brittany Gray. Brittany's expertise in training and conviction for the B Corp model helped the team secure a pilot program with USF Muma College of Business leadership. With the vision for a diverse internship experience and many enthusiastic partners, the co-creators got to work recruiting students and businesses at the height of 2020's COVID-19 pandemic.
As you'll see below, our team has succeeded in bringing together a dynamic group of USF students and businesses from Tampa Bay and other Southern U.S. cities. We're on a journey together to ensure that our global society emerges from this devastating pandemic with renewed business infrastructure to promote equity, sustainability, and ethical leadership.
Our collective purpose for piloting this internship program has three pillars: to equip students with concrete skills, to train future leaders on the value of a stakeholder approach to business that embraces the intersectional nature of sustainability, and to support local businesses in their efforts to measure impact and achieve B Corp certification.