Written by: Kairavi Garde, BSC Associate & Undergraduate Student

In Spring 2025, Kairavi Gardé, a second-year student in Environmental Sciences and Sociology, was matched with Jen McFarland, CEO of Marit Digital, through STAMP: the Sustainability Alumni Mentorship Program. The program is run through the Business Sustainability Collaborative’s PACKImpact, a sustainability career development program for N.C. State students. 

The two were both interested in working on a sustainability-focused project. McFarland was jumpstarting the creation of a website that created transparent sustainability reports of companies in the digital workspace, and Gardé was looking to build her capabilities in web development.

“The program came at a perfect time … I was building a portfolio on WordPress, and I had a strong drive to contribute to sustainable solutions, so joining Jen’s team and honing my web development skills through a meaningful project was everything I’d been looking for.” – Kairavi Gardé, student & BSC Associate

Through the PACKImpact program, Gardé and McFarland established shared goals, scheduled a weekly meeting time, and began a complementary workflow for the Spring 2025 semester. But more than that, they got to know each other and supported each other on their goals, sharing advice and learnings across the aisle. 

“The mentorship program is a great way to give back, while introducing a new generation of business leaders to the importance of sustainability initiatives. As a B Corp, working with and supporting the BSC team and students is a huge win-win, and I’ve had nothing but delightful experiences. ” – Jen McFarland, CEO, Marit Digital

In April, Gardé attended Duke University’s annual symposium, From Billions to Trillions: Catalyzing Private Investment in Climate Solutions, as a representative of Marit Digital, to learn more about how private funds contributed to the development of sustainable solutions on the global stage. 

“It was eye-opening to explore the creation of sustainable solutions from leaders employing cross-sector collaboration, interdisciplinary policymaking, and private investment to make an impact.” – Kairavi Gardé, student & BSC Associate

As the spring semester came to an end, the two realized that much work remained to be done on the site. In May, they laid the groundwork for continued collaboration in the fall through an internship. Now, under McFarland, Gardé is continuing the development of a site that accurately and transparently shares sustainability ratings of companies to help consumers decide how to use their purchasing power. 

“The BSC Program is a gift to business owners, especially those interested in making positive impacts for their community … I look forward to many more opportunities to work alongside them and see the evolution of their graduates.” – Jen McFarland, CEO, Marit Digital