Global food entrepreneur kicks off Gilson Global Impact Series

Businesses and ventures that benefit society and solve problems that affect daily living around the world are the focus of this year’s Gilson events, hosted by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) under a new name, the Gilson Global Impact Series.

Ashok Vasudevan, co-founder and chief executive officer of Preferred Brands International and Tasty Bite, India’s largest manufacturer and exporter of prepared and natural foods, will kick off the series on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. at the Fluno Center, 601 University Ave. In his talk, “Social Responsibility and the Corporate Ecosystem,” Vasudevan will describe how he has integrated sustainable practices within all levels of his global enterprises in developed and emerging economies.

He will discuss how companies can build social responsibility into the fabric of their strategies, processes and execution, so that “doing good” makes sound business sense in the short, medium and long term. The event is free and open to the public.

The presentation is followed by a networking reception at 6 p.m. Complimentary parking is available by registering online at http://gilsonseries.org or by calling Devon Cournoyer at (608) 890-1621.

Upcoming Gilson Global Impact Series events will highlight successful social entrepreneurialism within a variety of industries. Each event will feature one or more speakers who will share their perspectives on how they have aligned their organizational mission and operations to contribute to society.

“Purpose, profit and social responsibility are no longer mutually exclusive,” says Janet Kelly, WARF communications director. “In this series, we’ll be exploring the growing number of businesses and organizations that consider their social and environmental impact, along with traditional economic measures, to gauge their performance and success.”

In 2002, UW–Madison alumnus, faculty member and entrepreneur Warren Gilson bequeathed a generous gift to WARF to promote entrepreneurialism in Wisconsin. Since 2005, WARF has hosted a series of events in his name to help connect the university with the Madison community.