At the Seidman College of Business, every student takes a course covering the legal, regulatory, and ethical environment of business. As part of the Legal Environment of Business (BUS 201) class, we challenge our students to think critically and independently about how an organization can make a positive societal impact. In this class, we encourage students to identify organizations that serve as a force for good in the local community and the world. Class discussions include a wide range of topics, including the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As explained in the SDG documentation, these 17 goals comprise, “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future” (United Nations, 2015). In class, we also explore B-Corps which emphasize the relationships among profit, people, and the planet. We call upon students to investigate and debate what social responsibilities companies might owe their communities. Additionally, each semester guest speakers are invited to provide a common experience for our students. During the 2023 Fall semester, a local business leader discussed the topic “Business as a Force for Good in our Society.”

As part of our coverage of business ethics, we recently asked students to identify an organization that acts as a force for good in the West Michigan region. Several in the group suggested Van Andel Institute (VAI). Students noted VAI is a perfect example of a force for good that makes a positive societal impact not only in West Michigan but in the world. The authors strongly agree with this suggestion, and in support, we provide the following evidence.

Founded by West Michigan’s own Van Andel family in 1996, VAI is now home to more than 500 scientists, educators, and staff. Everyone at VAI dedicates themselves to the enterprise vision which seeks to: improve human health through biomedical research and science education to enhance human life and future generations (Van Andel Institute, 2023). VAI’s leadership team empowers world-class scientists and educators to catalyze collaboration and relentlessly pursue breakthroughs for diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, and various metabolic disorders. To date, working with partner organizations to conduct clinical trials, VAI has facilitated 42 trials. In 2022, VAI published 118 papers (48 of these in high-impact journals) which serves as further evidence of VAI’s scientific contribution in biomedical research.

Evidence of VAI’s positive societal impact while being a force for good includes national awards recognizing the organization’s contribution to progress in improving healthcare for all. The diseases VAI tackles include some of the most serious ailments faced by mankind: cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. For example, in September 2023, it was announced that Dr. Peter A. Jones, VAI’s chief scientific officer, received a $7.9 million Outstanding Investigator Award to support cancer research. Dr. Jones is a globally recognized cancer scientist whose pioneering research in the 1980s helped launch the field of epigenetics. “This vital funding will enable us to continue studying the intricate mechanisms that drive cancer—and explore strategies to translate our discoveries into potential new treatments” said Dr. Jones (“Van Andel Institute chief scientist,” 2023).

Also in September 2023, VAI hosted the annual Grand Challenges in Parkinson’s Disease symposium. Rallying to the Challenge, a parallel meeting for people with Parkinson’s, advocates, and care partners, is co-hosted by VAI and Cure Parkinson’s and brought world-wide recognition to the region. At the event, the Tom Isaacs Award was given to the researcher “who has shown the greatest impact on the lives of people living with Parkinson’s and/or has involved people with Parkinson’s in a participatory way in their work” (Cure Parkinson’s, 2023). VAI, by researching Parkinson’s and recognizing outstanding research in this area, hopes to improve the diagnosis, treatment, care, and eventually find the cure for this devastating illness. The partnership with Cure Parkinson’s is part of VAI’s vision to develop a network of collaborations with distinguished organizations in West Michigan and across the world.

In October 2023, VAI’s Dr. Nick Burton received a $2.9 million New Innovator Award from the National Institutes of Health Common Fund to find new ways to fix or prevent insulin resistance, a key driver of Type 2 diabetes. Almost half of the U.S. population suffers from Type 2 diabetes or is at risk of developing the disease due to higher-than-normal blood sugar levels (“Van Andel Institute scientist,” 2023). Evidence indicates the cause of Type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance, which occurs when cells no longer respond to the hormone tasked with managing blood sugar (“Van Andel Institute scientist,” 2023). The resulting sustained increase in blood sugar can impede healthy function and contribute to a wide range of health issues including kidney problems, ulcers, and tissue and nerve damage. The New Innovator Award will enable Dr. Burton and his team to deploy the first ever large-scale screening for bacteria that modify insulin signaling. “We hope to find novel bacteria, which would open a new realm of research with game-changing implications for health” said Dr. Burton (“Van Andel Institute scientist,” 2023).

Also, in October 2023, VAI’s Associate Professor, Dr. Laurent Roybon, co-authored a publication and developed a new model to help better understand Alzheimer’s disease and how it affects the brain. “A strength of this work is our use of cell lines from people with Alzheimer’s, which helps us better mirror the actual disease process in our model,” said Dr. Roybon (“New model provides window,” 2023).

The fourth SDG goal focuses on quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all.  VAI provides outstanding leadership in this area by providing educational programs to support teacher development and science education from the elementary to doctoral education levels. West Michigan regional K–12 programs for young students include summer camps, field trips, high school journal club, science on Saturdays, and other educational programs to inspire future scientists. Teachers are provided with professional development workshops and instructional materials, including downloadable lesson plans, classroom resources, and interactive student exercises. Overall, the goal is to provide science teachers with the materials needed to incorporate inquiry-based learning into their classrooms and to help teachers meet the Next Generation Science Standards. In addition, the VAI Graduate School offers an accredited Ph.D. program in cellular and molecular biology with the goal of fostering problem-based thinking and research leadership.

Within an AACSB accreditation framework of engagement and societal impact, our Seidman business class challenges students with discussions on current business issues, trends, and problems relevant to the business community in an ever-changing global economy.  Topics such as environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) investing, corporate social responsibility (CSR), government regulations, B-corps, climate change and sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) issues, stockholder v stakeholder interests, and other emerging business topics, are mentioned with the goal of raising student awareness regarding current business subjects.

One interesting aspect of today’s business student that we have discovered is that students come into our classroom with prior exposure and knowledge of sustainability issues.  For example, after material on sustainability was covered in class, one student sent an email that read in part, “I also wanted to say I really appreciate your lecture talking about business being a force for good and how important it is to be environmentally friendly as well as conscious about making good decisions as they might affect the community around us. In middle school, my classmates and I had an idea about a "green expo" and how to reduce our carbon footprint.” An MLive article recounts the novel event (Holst, 2013).

This VAI article introduces students to the business topics of U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and how business organizations can be a force for good in society.  VAI’s dedication to curing the diseases of cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson’s, and other healthcare-related challenges, is impressive and worthy of recognition by GVSU’s Seidman School of Business students and the worldwide community.        

While normally, class discussions revolve around for-profit businesses and the relationship between profit and social responsibility, the VAI is a perfect example of how any West Michigan organization, in some small or large way, can be a force for good in the local community and the world. VAI’s dedication to inspiring quality scientific education in the local and world community is a great example of the United Nations’ SDG of providing quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all. When discussing businesses and other organizations, VAI provides students with a clear example of what it looks like to make a positive societal impact in both the local community and in the world. VAI’s work in our region has clearly inspired our students, as they seek to be part of organizations that create a “force for good” in West Michigan and the world. 

Cure Parkinson’s. (2023, October 2). The Tom Isaacs Award - Cure Parkinson's. https://cureparkinsons.org.uk/for-researchers/the-tom-isaacs-award/

Holst, J. (2013, May 14). Forest Hills 5/6 graders pull off successful energy and green living expo. Mlive. https://www.mlive.com/ada-cascade/2013/05/forest_hills_56_graders_pull_o.html

New model provides window into Alzheimer’s disease development. (2023, November 15). Van Andel Institute. https://www.vai.org/article/new-model-provides-window-into-alzheimers-disease-development/

United Nations. (2015). The 17 goals | sustainable development. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org/goals  

Van Andel Institute. (2023, November 15). Van Andel Institute - Independent Biomedical Research Institute. https://www.vai.org/

Van Andel Institute chief scientist earns $7.9 million Outstanding Investigator Award to support cancer research. (2023, October 17). Van Andel Institute. https://www.vai.org/article/van-andel-institute-chief-scientist-earns-7-9-million-outstanding-investigator-award-to-support-cancer-research/

Van Andel Institute scientist awarded $2.9 million to tackle insulin resistance, a driver of Type 2 diabetes. (2023, October 17). Van Andel Institute. https://www.vai.org/article/van-andel-institute-scientist-awarded-2-9-million-to-tackle-insulin-resistance-a-driver-of-type-2-diabetes/