Miami Herbert undergraduates take top honors at IBESCC

IBESCC is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious event of its kind.  Undergraduate and graduate students from around the world participate in the annual competition, held virtually April 8 – 9, to identify problems and present solutions to some of the most pressing ethical issues in global business today. 

Miami Herbert’s undergraduate student team, Amet Consulting, earned first place in its division in two presentation categories: the 25-minute presentation and the 10-minute presentation.  Vulcan Solutions, another Miami Herbert undergraduate team, tied for first place in its division in the 25-minute presentation. 

This was no overnight success, though. The teams worked with the Miami Herbert faculty for months to prepare their respective case presentations.

In the 25-minute presentation, Amet Consulting (Amet is Latin for the environment) presented on the ethical and sustainability issues related to Tesla’s sourcing of its batteries. In their presentation “Ruse or Reality: Tesla’s Road to a Sustainable Future,” the team argued that Tesla should act and invest in a long-term solution that guarantees ethical sourcing in alignment with one of Tesla’s key corporate values: being a clean company.

The Amet Consulting team was led by Deven Reyes, a senior majoring in legal studies; Daniel Menendez, a junior majoring in economics and business analytic; Jaimee Getty, a sophomore majoring in finance and business analytics; Aidan Flint, a sophomore majoring in finance and computer science and Gabriella Pergament, a freshman majoring in real estate and legal studies.

"This certainly added to my undergraduate experience and helped me develop my ability to lead a team—the team’s success was my ultimate goal,” said Deven Reyes. "Working with my team, we stressed the importance of cohesiveness and consistency. Our routine follow-ups and support for one another were critical to our success in this competition. We appreciate the team at Loyola Marymount University for coordinating this competition and allowing other universities to partake!”

In the 25-minute presentation, Vulcan Solutions team (Vulcan was the Roman god of fire) was led by Ali Mirza, a senior majoring in classics and molecular biochemistry, and president of UM Ethics Society; Margarita Sinko, a junior majoring in finance and philosophy, and vice president of the Real Estate and Finance Association; Hanna Raveh, a sophomore majoring in computer science; and Alec Studnik, a sophomore majoring in Latin, classics, and history. Their presentation “Building with Zero” proposed the implementation of carbon injection into concrete as an efficient, affordable, compliant (with accepted industry standards), and ethical choice for cement companies to make.

“It was a great experience collaborating with the members of my team as we researched, structured, and rehearsed for our presentation,” said Margarita Sinko. “I also enjoyed the opportunity to practically apply some of the theoretical knowledge that I have learned in my courses at the Miami Herbert Business School.”

“I commend these bright students for their seriousness and determination in tackling vital business issues head-on, and for moving mountains in doing so,” said Dr. Joan Martínez Evora, the teams’ faculty advisor. “We are very thankful to the IBESCC and its leadership for the opportunity to showcase the teams research and business skills, and to Vice Dean Ann Olazábal, Dr. Anita Cava, Assistant Dean EllenMarie McPhillip, and Dr. Ken Goodman for their support and feedback during the final practice session in preparation for the competition.”