The Good Economist July 2016 | Page 10

For me to get really excited about a job, I need to find meaning in the work. SBN’s mission, to build a just, green, and thriving economy in the Greater Philadelphia region, was one of the strongest factors that drew me to the organization. It’s a broad mission, which I believe to be absolutely necessary to address the equally broad array of social issues facing not just Philadelphia, but our country at large.

As a student of public policy, I have of course learned about the ways in which government can positively influence society. But for a problem as broad and threatening as climate change, for example, it has also become very apparent that government alone can’t do the job. Moving forward, it’s very important for businesses to engage with policymakers to create pragmatic solutions. Being able to work for a non-profit like SBN is incredibly rewarding because it does exactly that. It provides like-minded businesses a space to share ideas and help each other grow, while also considering the needs of our member-businesses when advocating for policy. Additionally, I believe that educating businesses and the public on sustainability, and dispelling the false dichotomy between planet or profit, is one of the most important steps to influence change. It’s really cool to be part of an organization that agrees.

Why do you think policy is so essential to the advancement of the local economy?

We have a market-based economy in the United States for a reason: it does a pretty good job at keeping prices down and employment up. Global poverty, for example, has been cut in half in recent decades, and a lot of that is due to the proliferation of capitalism. But one need not look far to see where the market falls short. For any liberal arts major, the importance of policy should be fairly evident after their third class with a unit on “market failures.”

To me, policy represents that extra step needed to take our economy to the next level. The world may be doing better than it was half a century ago, but Philadelphia and so many other cities still struggle with poverty. Policy is one way we can influence the behavior of businesses. By creating policies that incentivize green and locally minded behavior, we can begin to shape a local economy that works for everyone. For specifics, take a look at SBN’s Good Economy Challenge!

What drew you to SBN?

10