PROJECTS

1. Corporate Responsibility Strategy for Brown-Forman Tequila Mexico
In 2008, Brown-Forman completed its acquisition of Casa Herradura, one of Mexico’s leading tequila producers. As part of the integration process, the company wanted to develop a corporate responsibility strategy for 2009 that included Casa Herradura. This process involved socializing the idea of corporate responsibility throughout the organization in Mexico, as well as conducting dozens of stakeholder interviews with employees, community leaders, government officials, NGOs, and other private sector actors. The process also included developing a proprietary corporate responsibility scorecard to allow executives to quickly tackle areas of greatest risk and opportunity.

One of the results of the project was investment in a tequila museum in the small town of Amatitan, Mexico where the Herradura plant was located. The long-term income this will generate will help to build a strong tourist infrastructure and help diversify the economy of Amatitan.

2. e-Commerce Market Study for LendForPeace.org
LendforPeace.org is a micro-finance institution (MFI) based on the Kiva model which directs loans directly to entrepreneurs in the West Bank. Started by Isreali and Palestinian students at the Universtiy of Pennsylvania, Lend For Peace attempts to mobilize the private sector with the hope that greater opportunities will lead to less violence.

This project assessed the potential for LendForPeace to open up new markets for the recipients of its loans by investing in an e-Commerce strategy.

3. Business Plan for Body by Brandy 4 Kidz
Brandy Cruthird is a life long resident of Roxbury, MA, a neighborhood that is described as “the heart of black culture of Boston.”[1] While working as a physical education teacher for Boston Public Schools, Cruthird became acutely aware of the health disparity in her community reflected in the large number of overweight and obese children. Her vision was to create BBB 4 Kidz, a non-profit focused on reducing childhood obesity, as a first step in addressing this growing problem.

BBB 4 Kidz is a unique program that combines physical activity with nutritional guidance and family bonding for children that are clinically diagnosed as overweight or obese. Children participate in the program free of charge through Cruthird’s unique partnerships with local health providers and health focused non-profits.

This project involved developing a business plan for BBB 4 Kidz. Included in the business plan was guidance on modifying the funding model for the organization to allow it to grow in its capacity and expand into new markets.