UB conference to focus on building leadership skills in sustainability and business

By Kevin Manne

BUFFALO, N.Y. —  Leaders from the business, nonprofit and academic worlds are invited to come together April 23 for a conference hosted by the University at Buffalo School of Management’s Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness (CLOE).

The daylong event, “Leadership Now: Innovating for a Sustainable World,” will give participants the skills to drive real change: actionable tools, fresh perspectives and a powerful network to make a lasting impact and drive sustainable development that’s good for the planet and the bottom line.

The conference will begin at 8 a.m. at Buffalo Niagara Marriott Hotel, 1340 Millersport Highway, Amherst.

“Businesses are focusing on sustainability and the impact of climate on their operations as part of their competitive strategies,” says Ananth Iyer, dean of the UB School of Management. “This conference will empower leaders to build resilient businesses that adapt to our ever-changing world and plan for the future.”

The event will feature insights from top-level leaders, including:

• Robert Skinner, Deputy Director and Chief of Partnerships and Global Engagement, Department of Global Communications, United Nations
• Felipe Queipo, Program Management and Communications Officer, United Nations
• Erin Komorowski, Executive Vice President of Sustainability, M&T Bank
• Jennifer VanDewater, Vice President, Enterprise Sustainability, Health and Authenticity, Rich Products

Throughout the day, three distinct tracks will provide a range of programming: 

• Innovative Leadership for Sustainable Solutions
• Global Collaboration for Innovation
  
• Transformative Leadership in a Changing World

The event builds upon the success of previous CLOE conferences, which have offered opportunities to learn about leading under pressure, leading ethically, the future of leadership, diversity and inclusion, the power of people-oriented leadership, social innovation and entrepreneurship, and how to put emerging research into practice. 

Tickets are $199 per person, with a discounted rate for UB students, faculty and staff. For a full schedule and registration information, visit management.buffalo.edu/cloe2025.

Since 2013, CLOE has created more effective leaders and organizations by advancing research, education and outreach in leadership and organizational development. CLOE also supports UB’s goals of accelerating academic excellence, translating scholarship and developing leadership capabilities in UB students and business leaders. For more information, visit management.buffalo.edu/cloe.