Achieving Social Impact Through Business

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has described societal impact as encompassing “activities undertaken by business schools that over time lead to meaningful, discernible change for the betterment of people, economies and the environment” (AACSB and Societal Impact: Aligning With the AACSB 2020 Business Accreditation Standards, February 2023, p.2). This panel discussion will answer the following key questions: 

• What is the role of business in society? How can businesses operate in ways that fosters both economic grow and social well-being?
• What are some of the biggest current challenges faced by business and society? Are there are any that are unique to Australia?
• What are some practical ideas and strategies for individuals to overcome these challenges and build capacity?

Our session will be moderated by Dr Nadia Zainuddin, from UOW Business School and President of the Australian Association of Social Marketing (AASM).

About our Panel Speakers

Makrita Solitei, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ANCORS, UOW

Makrita Solitei is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and early career researcher specialising in human geography and supply chain management. She is affiliated with the Blue Futures Translational Research Centre at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS). Her research focuses on sustainability, community-driven enterprises, and ocean governance, working closely with resource-constrained communities in Kenya to explore necessity-driven enterprises. Additionally, Dr Solitei collaborates with Indigenous communities on the New South Wales (NSW) South coast, contributing to the establishment of the Indigenous Sea Country Management Plan. Beyond these initiatives, she is involved in Blue Energy Labs projects to map out the future of clean energy industries, playing a pivotal role in creating a roadmap for sustainable energy solutions. Her interdisciplinary work seeks to address both social and environmental challenges in diverse geographic and economic settings.

Alfredo R. Paloyo, Associate Professor in Economics, UOW

Alfredo R. Paloyo is an Associate Professor of Economics at the School of Business of the University of Wollongong in Australia. His research interest is in the empirical analysis of issues related to human capital, particularly in the fields of labor, health, and education economics. His previous works have been published in, among others, the European Economic Review, Economics of Education Review, and Oxford Economic Papers. He received his Bachelor of Science, cum laude, and Master of Arts in Economics from the University of the Philippines School of Economics. He then obtained a European Master in Law and Economics (LL.M.) with the highest distinction, jointly awarded by the Erasmus University of Rotterdam (Netherlands), the University of Hamburg (Germany), and the University of Bologna (Italy). He earned his doctorate in 2011, summa cum laude, from the Ruhr University of Bochum within the framework of the Ruhr Graduate School in Economics in Germany. He was previously a researcher in the Division of Labor Markets, Education, and Population of the RWI – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research in Essen, Germany. He has given courses at the Ruhr University of Bochum and the University of Paderborn in Germany, and at the University of the Philippines and the De La Salle University in the Philippines.

Merle van den Akker, Behavioural Science Manager, Commonwealth Bank Australia

Merle van den Akker has a background in behavioural science, personal finance management, payment systems and consumer finance, holding a PhD researching the effect of different payment methods on the perceptions and handling of money, from the Warwick Business School. She is currently a Behavioural Science Manager at Commonwealth Bank, involved in the developing of the bank's consumer financial well-being's as well researching and developing financial nudging strategies. In addition to working at Commonwealth Bank, she continues to research and publish on the intersection of behavioural science and personal finance management, both academically and commercially. She maintains strong attachments to academia, by lecturing across the fields of Behavioural Science and Payment Systems, across Australia's top universities. As an avid science communicator, having hosted the Questioning Behaviour Podcast, she hosts and writes for Money on the Mind.

This session promises to offer valuable perspectives and actionable takeaways for anyone interested in the intersection of business and society. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts and explore the future of business in a socially conscious world.