John F. Wood Centre | Sustainability at UofG | Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics

John F. Wood Centre | Sustainability at UofG

Social Entrepreneurship at Lang



The John F. Wood Centre for Business and Student Enterprise is the hub for social entrepreneurship, for all students at the University of Guelph.

Students enrolled in Wood Centre programming look for innovative and sustainable solutions to economic, social and environmental problems. The centre's mission is to empower a new generation of business leaders committed to community engagement and a sustainable future instil in our students a sense of social responsibility, leadership, and character-building values that help develop citizenship.

 

The Wood Centre's Hub Incubator Program

The Hub Incubator Program offers University of Guelph students or alumni funding, dedicated office space and access to experienced entrepreneurs to help bring their potential business ideas to life. The program helps startups develop a strong business model that can be rigorously tested and intelligently scaled.

Eligible teams must have at least one co-founder who is a current University of Guelph student or alumnus (from any program) between the ages of 18 to 29. Teams accepted into the Hub are required to complete at least 30 hours of work each week and receiving full funding will be based on teams meeting certain requirements.

B-Corp Sustainability Assessment

Using the B-Corp certification process as a guide, Hub startups undergo a mandatory sustainability assessment that helps instil ethical and sustainable business behaviour into the startups' DNA.  Although certifying as a B-Corp is not mandatory, this assessment provides accountability within the foundational stage of the startup. The five areas in which they are assessed include environmental responsibility and risk assessment, workplace diversity and rights, consumer protection, community development, and governance. 

 

Discover more about the Hub Incubator Program