“Why Innovative Banks Care about Sustainability” will be the topic of a discussion at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School on Nov.15 at 5:30 p.m. in Koury Auditorium

The Center for Sustainable Enterprise (CSE) at UNC Kenan-Flagler is hosting the event as part of UNC's Campus Sustainability Day.

Participating will be Val Smith, director of corporate sustainability at Citi, and Albert H. Segars, CSE faculty director, the RBC Bank Distinguished Professor and chair of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at UNC Kenan-Flagler.

They will discuss Citi's best practices in sustainability, including Citi’s incorporation of green building practices, its participation in the development of the Equator Principles initiative, and its recognition as the top U.S. bank in the 2011 Newsweek Green Rankings.

Smith has been with Citi since 2004 and is responsible for developing environmental sustainability strategies and initiatives in partnership with the businesses; tracking environmental issues and providing advice; engaging with SRI and NGO stakeholders; overseeing Citi's human rights approach; and developing its reporting strategy for sustainability performance. Smith earned her MBA with a concentration in sustainable enterprise from UNC Kenan-Flagler and her BA in environmental science from the University of Virginia. She has worked for several environmental organizations, including the Houston Advanced Research Center, National Audubon Society and the Brainerd Foundation. She spent two years with the Peace Corps in Honduras as an environmental specialist.

A reception will follow the talk; both are free and open to the public. Parking will be available in the business school parking deck. To RSVP and for more information, write cse@unc.edu.

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Media contact: Allison Adams, , 919-962-7235