One month into the course, we have met our classmates, teammates, and the clients. We have established a routine of project planning, researching, and reflecting. And, the projects we are pursuing are clear and exciting as advertised!
From our first interaction with the client, we learned more about expectations that whittled an initially large, abstract question on ESG legislation into a digestible and addressable question. Our clients shared an abundance of materials and connections to get us started, expressed sincere excitement to work with Columbia students (even making a high-level, public announcement) and were flexible in coordinating with our academic calendar on meetings and deliverables.
Weekly brainstorming sessions with class provided us perspective on the challenges and successes faced by other groups, as well as overlapping materials on sustainable investing. The wide breadth of experience classmates bring to this course is apparent and impressive. It is even more impressive that despite this diversity, everyone has seemingly landed in the project of their priorities interest.
Ultimately, it is the devotion of our clients, the contributions of classmates and the leadership of our professor that has inspiring me to come with my best work and energy to every single meeting, task, and deliverable. Aside from the importance of addressing real world through education, I have been reminded that community is essential to crowdsourcing knowledge and finding innovative solutions.
A short note on the subject matter: we are exploring ESG policies at a point in time where there are no federal standards around sustainable finance. To participate in studying, understanding, and implementing recommendations in a fast evolving and increasingly recognized fundamental shift in financial markets is unforgettable.