Co-Founder · Bainbridge Graduate Institute · Seattle, WA

With a bit of leisure on our hands after selling a software company, Libba (my wife) and I knew we had to do something to turn around a world headed toward disaster. We looked for a leverage point that fit with our background, knowledge and connections. Business was the dominant institution of our times, but almost everyone who saw the depth of civilization’s challenges was working on the problem from outside business. Meanwhile, the power of business was increasing.

If business was in charge of our civilization, we reasoned, we would have to change the way business people thought. Given that conclusion and our background in corporate leadership development programs, it seemed to us that working to change business education was the highest leverage way for us to change the fate of our civilization.

We launched BGI to create a model of a business school whose graduates would be a force for environmental restoration and a better life for all. Now our alumni are part of a powerful network of change agents guiding their companies in the direction of sustainability and social justice, improving non-profit organizations from within, and starting and running their own successful businesses that build a better world. Our graduates are inspiring others to bring their values to business, and BGI itself is inspiring other business schools.

The shared purpose of “changing business for good” gives life to BGI and creates a thriving environment in the classroom and beyond. Even after graduation, BGI’s community is a place to find jobs, learn, share advice and expand horizons. I am forever grateful for the wealth of passion, diversity and talent that is drawn to BGI and the quality of connections that make BGI great.

Background

For more about Gifford, read his profile in the BGI Founders section.