Executive MBA students help the hungry

Participants of the University of Sydney's innovative Global Executive MBA (EMBA) program have tackled the enormous issue of feeding millions of hungry Australians in a project for not-for-profit agency, Foodbank New South Wales.

Students from the Global Executive MBA program, each a senior executive at a leading Australian organisation, worked tirelessly to help the hungry.

Foodbank is a non-denominational organisation that sources and distributes food and grocery industry donations to welfare agencies who feed the hungry. It is the largest hunger relief organisation in Australia with affiliates in six states and the Northern Territory.

Having recently committed itself to the ambitious five-year goal of increasing the amount of food that it provides from three million to 17 million kilograms a year, Foodbank NSW approached Acting Global EMBA Program Director, Dr Nick Wailes, requesting strategic business advice.

This was a hands-on project that participants jumped at and, despite forming part of their course assessment, quickly became a labour of love. As part of the project participants visited the Foodbank warehouses, suppliers and other relief agencies to understand the challenges facing the organisation and how they could help them grow.

Each of the EMBA participants is a senior executive at a leading Australian organisation and were able to draw on their own business experience to add value to this not-for-profit initiative.

At the culmination of the project, the group of 14 presented a comprehensive business plan to the board of directors. A number of key issues were addressed by the group in their presentation including the need to improve inventory control, workplace capability planning and marketing.

Students from the Global Executive MBA program, each a senior executive at an Australian organisation, worked tirelessly to help the hungry.

Foodbank NSW Chairman Ern Pope said: "When we agreed to involve a group of EMBA students, we expected the 'minds' but we certainly didn't expect the heart as well. Sometimes when you are so close to the project, you need to be shown the obvious to move forward. We are so impressed with what we've seen and will be implementing many of the recommendations in our operations."

One of the course participants, Senior Executive from Westpac New Zealand, Steve Jurkovich, estimated the group had spent thousands of hours on this project.

"Now that our eyes have been opened to the millions going hungry in Australia, you've really dragged us in," said Steve. "As amazing as this country is, it is frustrating and really vexing that so many people go to work or send their kids off to school hungry. It is hard now for us to turn a blind eye and we are all deeply committed to the cause."

"We didn't really know what to expect when we began the project but it has had an effect on all of us. It has now become a really important motivator for this group to leave a legacy."

Dr Wailes said: "It is not an easy thing to do to open your organisation to a group of people you don't really know so we are very grateful Foodbank allowed us the opportunity to be involved. Clearly this was very much a mutually beneficial experience.

"The standard of the work this group has done is phenomenal and they have set a very high water mark for the next cohort," he said.

Media enquiries: Alison Avery, 9114 1135, 0411 281 184, alison.avery@sydney.edu.au