Experience as a Business Development Intern at LAS 

By Luca Giancristiano
Business Development Intern, LAS

Going into this role as a Business Development intern I didn’t know what to expect as this was my first co-op term at Laurier and the first time I have worked for a non-for-profit organization. However, after completing my term, it is fair to say that my experience here at LAS went above and beyond what I had expected. From the first day I was welcomed into the team. I was given the opportunity to voice my opinions and learn many new skills. This role provided a chance to work in several concentrations of business, including risk management, marketing, social business, and international business.  

My main project for the term focused on an up-and-coming trend in business called ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance). My task was first to research all aspects of ESG, including its benefits, challenges, risks, and standards. I then created a formal business report, which focused on procurement of goods and services. Using my newfound knowledge of ESG, I created a recommendation for scoring ESG within procurement and my report will be presented to the board of directors in September for possible implementation. During my time at LAS, I had the honor of attending the annual AMO conference in London, where a PowerPoint I created on ESG was presented by my managers to several municipal representatives.

While at LAS I also had other assignments, which involved risk management research relevant to LAS' new program called CIMOM (Cyber Incident Management for Ontario Municipalities). Prior to August I also assisted in creating social media advertisements for the AMO Conference, as well as LAS webinars and workshops. 

I am grateful for my time here and hope that the work I have done will make an impact on the organization in the future. I would like to give a shoutout to Jeff, Shannon, and Fernanda, as well as all of the other staff for making me feel welcomed. Hopefully we will meet again.