Can universities and businesses partner for social good?

Posted on 9 November 2020

WE LEAD webinar explored the concept of universities and businesses partnering for social good.

A webinar organised by the University of York’s Research Centre for Social Sciences was held on Monday 9th November 2020 to explore whether universities and business could work together for social good. The event was part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

WE LEAD’s Director, Professor Kiran Trehan, chaired the panel discussion between:

• Mark Laing, Director of Innovation, Home Instead Care
• Ana Macintosh, Programme Director for Assuring Autonomy International Programme, University of York
• Roger Dix, Chief Risk Officer, Wesleyan
• Professor Bryony Beresford, Co-Director of Social Policy Research Unit, University of York.

The panel members were able to share their different perspectives of the real-life examples of partnerships they have been involved in and highlighted the importance of:

• Diversity of thought from different types of organisations
• Complementary skills and resources
• Listening
• Using research to provide evidence which is then used to help solve ‘real life’ problems.

Nifty Fox Creative captured the event as it occurred through visual storytelling.