Zum announces Oakland Unified as the first district with a fully electric school bus fleet in the nation!
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Zum CEO Talks Sustainability, Electrification at Fortune Most Powerful Women 2024

This week Zūm Founder and CEO Ritu Narayan is participating in Fortune Most Powerful Women 2024, an annual summit in Laguna Niguel, Calif., welcoming preeminent women business leaders as well as leaders in government, education, philanthropy and the arts.

On Tuesday, Narayan was a featured speaker for “Building More Sustainable Cities,” a panel discussion examining ways leaders are working to create a sustainable, equitable future.

Other panelists included Elizabeth Baker Keffer, Executive Vice President and Chief Relationship Officer, U.S. Chamber of Commerce; Nancy Mahon, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Estee Lauder Company; and Rebecca Tinucci, Global Head of Sustainability, Uber. Ellie Austin, the deputy editorial director of Most Powerful Women at Fortune, moderated the discussion.

“Each year the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit brings together a who’s who of accomplished and innovative women leaders who are doing their part to build a better world,” Narayan said. “It’s a huge honor to be participating in this prestigious event, and I’m grateful to be part of this collaborative and empowering community.”

During the panel, Narayan discussed how Zum made history in Oakland Unified School District this year by deploying the nation’s first all-electric school bus fleet with groundbreaking vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. She also spoke about partnerships and receiving support from local, state and federal governments; in 2024, Zum received $58 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to accelerate electrification.

Special guests at this year’s Summit include the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, General Motors Chair and CEO Mary Barra and basketball legend Sue Bird. In 1998, Fortune launched its Most Powerful Women community with its first annual list of the Most Powerful Women in Business.

Last month, Zum was named to Fortune’s 2024 Change the World list for making a significant impact by modernizing student transportation.

Thanks to the MPW community and everyone who supports Zum’s mission to deliver safe, reliable, sustainable rides to and from school for all children!

Click here to watch a video recording of the event.