Dear Students,
Over the course of the past year, Bentley has partnered with Gallup, one of the top polling companies in the U.S., to develop a survey to understand how Americans think businesses are doing when it comes to making a positive impact on the world — and where they are falling short. Today, I’m excited to announce the official unveiling of the results of the inaugural Bentley University – Gallup Force for Good Survey.
To mark this special occasion, tonight I will lead a conversation about this fascinating topic with Boston-area business leaders from Liberty Mutual, State Street and Deloitte. The event will be hosted by the Boston Globe and livestreamed, and we will host a viewing party with refreshments for students in the Student Center Café tonight from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. I would be honored if you were able to attend.
I’m pleased to share with you the full report and survey results in advance of tonight’s event. I think that you, as future business leaders, will find the results to be extremely interesting, as I did. The report shows, for example, that 55% of Americans believe business has a positive impact on society. Meanwhile, 88% of Americans say it’s important for companies to make the world a better place, and more than 70% of young Americans say they’d switch jobs to work at an organization that has a greater positive impact on the world.
Findings like these show that Bentley’s mission, vision and values could not be more relevant in today’s 21st-century economy. We’ve long believed that the business world should be about more than increasing profits and meeting shareholder goals, and that companies have a responsibility to help move society forward. Now we have nationwide data that affirms this is a shared belief among Americans.
The role of business in our society is evolving, and Bentley has a unique opportunity to influence how and to what degree. Thanks to our multi-year partnership with Gallup, and to our many faculty who have helped inform, develop and contextualize this report, Bentley will continue to be a thought-leader in the realm of good business. This annual report will continue to provide a platform for our faculty to share their knowledge and expertise, helping us all better understand how people’s views of business are changing, at a time when the impact of business in our society has never been more important.
I hope that you will be able to join tonight’s viewing party. If you are unable to attend, you can register to watch the livestream of the event here.
I look forward to continuing our partnership with Gallup and contributing to this timely national debate. Bentley is at the forefront in uncovering what society wants from the business world and where business is headed, and I couldn’t be more proud of our leading role in this important conversation.
Most Sincerely,
President Chrite