The economy of tomorrow will require business leaders to consider how societal and environmental impacts complement the bottom line. These impacts can expose companies to risks, but more importantly, they can present compelling opportunities to create new value and markets.

Professor John Peloza tasked his Global Scholars Honors Pathway students to take advantage of just such an opportunity. Students in the Larger Issues in World Business class were challenged to develop and market a line of branded products designed to generate support for The Campus Kitchen at the University of Kentucky.

The organization rescues food items from being wasted and turns them into nutritious meals to address food insecurity among UK students and the Lexington community. The products created by students ranged from grocery tote bags to reusable water bottles and even a Campus Kitchen-branded charcuterie board. Students used a range of promotion vehicles, including social media advertising, sponsorships, and public relations through local media, and even created an e-commerce website for the program.

Last week, the students presented their campaigns, along with 100% of the proceeds from sales, to Campus Kitchen Director of Community Outreach, Kendra OoNorasak. The campaign generated $2,152.74, which will be used to create over 1,000 meals for the UK and Lexington communities.