From Small Actions to Systemic Change: Highlights from the 20th SBSI Conference

This year marked the 20th anniversary of Duke University's SBSI Conference—a milestone celebrating two decades of impact and innovation. Over the years, the conference has welcomed more than 8,000 attendees and featured inspiring speakers, panels, and dynamic discussions. 

It has also seen its fair share of weather issues over the years! Unprecedented snow causing travel complications in 2014, tornado warnings forcing attendees to shelter in place in 2016, and this year severe weather forcing the student leadership team to adapt quickly, transitioning to a virtual format within just 24 hours.  Despite the pivot, the conference was another inspiring day filled with insights on a wide variety of topics.   

🌍 Climate Finance: Diverse Paths to Climate Solutions 🌍

Set within a US context where climate is on the political agenda as the US pulls out of the Paris Climate Agreement and threatens to claw back funding from the EPA's $20B Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, discussions on climate also highlighted climate innovators and investors continuing to tackle mitigation and adaptation strategies. Of course, climate investing is far from uniform, as showcased in the panel Driving Innovation: The Many Lanes of Climate Funding. Pilar Carvajo Lucena, Head of Investments & Fund Partnerships at Third Derivative, discussed backing early-stage startups developing capital-intensive climate technologies for hard-to-decarbonize sectors. Justin Desrosiers, Managing Principal at SustainVC, takes a different route by investing in software solutions that help scale climate solutions and benefit underserved communities. Meanwhile, Jessica Lam, Senior Market Specialist at Microsoft discussed the company’s investments in markets critical to its global climate commitments and using its procurement power to integrate solutions across its operations and extensive network of 60,000 suppliers. These varied approaches underscore the diverse strategies and resources shaping the climate investing landscape, even amidst regulatory uncertainty and change.

🤝🏽 Asset-Based Approaches: Centering Community Voices 🤝🏽

Speakers emphasized the importance of recognizing community assets and engaging local voices in innovating solutions. Rony Cepeda, REDF Senior Manager, highlighted that “lived experience is a superpower.” Bernardo Sambra Graña, CEO of Amanatari, shared insights from Amanatari’s work working with Indigenous communities to create biobusinesses that conserve the Amazonian rainforest. Sambra explained how “each interaction [with the Indigenous communities] breaks my paradigm,” helping him challenge conventional thinking and foster innovative approaches.

🌾 Systems-Level Change: Re-imagining Food and Agriculture 🌾

Another topic on the agenda was the importance of tackling complex issues from a multi-lens, systems view. For example, transforming our food and agricultural systems requires addressing interconnected challenges in environment, health, economic development, and policy. Maggie Monast, Senior Director of Climate-Smart Agriculture at Environmental Defense Fund, described agriculture as “the world of unintended consequences,” noting the need to shift toward a system that is sustainable, equitable, and healthy. Christopher Gergen, Chief Growth Officer of 4P Foods, highlighted how industrial agriculture harms small farmers, contributes to nearly one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions, and drives up rates of diet-related diseases. He highlighted strategies like regenerative farming, reducing the distance from farm to plate, and “food as medicine”—strategies that can turn these challenges into opportunities for systemic change.

✨ Small Actions: The Power of Incremental Change ✨

Despite the economic, political, and regulatory challenges being faced, speakers found reasons for optimism. Alison Taylor, a climate leader in residence at Duke University, highlighted advancements in technology and collaboration, while Lisa Gutierrez, Director of Development for Affordable Housing at U.S. Bank urged attendees to consider how current disruptions can create opportunities for innovation. And, in the face of systemic challenges, speakers celebrated the significance of small actions. Microsoft's Jessica Lam encouraged attendees to “take action, big or small,” while Azanique Rawl, MS, Global Community & Crew Experience Lead at Vanguard, emphasized that “small change is still change, and small progress is still progress.” These reminders reinforced the idea that even small steps can lead to meaningful impact.

💼 Career Advice: Building Confidence Through Competence 💼

Career insights flowed throughout the conference, with a particularly resonant message from Reba Dominski, Chief Social Responsibility Officer at the U.S. Bank Foundation. She emphasized that “confidence comes from competence,” encouraging attendees to cultivate deep knowledge in their areas of interest and then use that expertise to amplify their voices: “Get smart, get well-versed, then find your voice.”

As the SBSI conference celebrates two decades of impact, this year’s themes serve as a reminder that meaningful change requires innovation, collaboration, and resilience—whether through systemic transformation or everyday actions.