HR Competencies

Overview

• Expose participants to current business issues and practices using high-profile organizations as examples
• Analyze cases exploring topics such as Innovation, Sustainability, and Gender Equity; Supply Chain Management, Marketing, and Social Responsibility
• Discuss and apply relevant practices and insights from Harvard Business cases to participant organizations (as time permits)

Cases for 2020

Patagonia: Closing the Loop on Packaging Pollution*

Colorado Springs / Mar 19, Denver / Mar 19, Loveland / Mar 19,  Scottsdale / Mar 19

Single-use packaging waste is invading all corners of the world. Patagonia believes a call-to-action is needed throughout the broader business community to not only innovate more environmentally responsible packaging solutions, but to share those solutions to solve a near irreversible crisis. Patagonia creates apparel, outdoor gear, and food products consistent with its mission: “We are in business to save our home planet.” Patagonia is searching for solutions to mitigate its own contributions to the single-use packaging crisis.

Promoting a Culture of Equity: Moving Beyond Responding to Gender-Related Workplace Issues to Tackling Root Causes

May 19 / Online Virtual Learning

The #MeToo movement brought global awareness to the magnitude of gender-related inequalities in the workplace, including unequal pay and the lack of women in the C-suite and boardroom. One company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), has a history of success in developing equity fluent leaders. The firm is a private-sector leader in implementing progressive gender-equitable policies and procedures, building a company culture that recognizes the benefits of a diverse workforce, and shifting employees’ individual attitudes. The case outlines how the company engaged all genders to create a culture that translates policy to action at every level in the workplace.

Beyond Meat: Changing Consumers’ Meat Preference

August 4

Beyond Meat, a producer of plant-based meat substitutes, was founded in 2009 in Los Angeles, California. The company’s vision is for consumers to enjoy a meat-like taste and texture in their favorite dishes while avoiding the many chemicals used in processed meat and reducing the number of animals killed every year. The company works to educate consumers about the superior benefits that eating vegan products will provide to the consumers and to the environment. The largest market for Beyond Meats is the younger generation, the driving force behind using plant protein for food. Can the company reach beyond this demographic to increase sales of its products? Will the food tastes of Americans change quickly enough to ensure that growing profits will attract more investors?

Amazon.com: Supply Chain Management

November 4

By early 2018, Seattle-based Amazon.com Inc. (Amazon), one of the world’s most valuable companies and the largest online retailer, had grown dramatically since its beginnings in 1994. The company that had started as an online bookseller now sells merchandise and digital content in more than 30 categories, including its own products and products from over two million third-party sellers. It has recently entered grocery retailing through its purchase of Whole Foods Market. With 2017 shipping costs that exceeded $21 billion, the chief executive officer needed to determine how to structure the company’s supply chain in order to support its strategy and growth objectives. What supply chain capabilities would Amazon need as its business model continued to evolve?

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Who Should Attend

Facilitator