Evaluating the

Greenest MBA

Programs

Students Want Green MBAs

78% of MBA students want to see more content and applicable case studies related to sustainability and corporate responsibility integrated into the curriculum1

1 November 2008 Net Impact/Aspen Institute study

Morals Over

Money?

MBA students surveyed about Corporate Social

Responsibility said they would accept a lower

salary to work at a socially aware employer 2

2 2008 Stanford Business School study of 759 graduating MBAs at 11 top business schools

Environmental

Sustainability

Corporate

Social

Responsibility

Social

Enterprise

We reviewed 15 of

the best AACSB-

accredited business

schools that have

distinguished

themselves in

sustainability in one of

three areas

Environmental

Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability

• Specialized course in social entrepreneurship and management of non-profit organizations

• Home to one of the “greenest” buildings in the University of California system

• Lectures, case studies, and class discussions often revolve around themes of environmental sustainability

UC Davis Graduate School of

Management

• Explicitly integrates sustainability and social

entrepreneurship and design thinking into

fundamental courses

• Students choose between two tracks: sustainability,

or management by design

• First year students required to attend the MBA

Institute in Sustainable Value and Social

Entrepreneurship

Case Western Reserve

University, Weatherhead School

of Management

• Partnership with the US National Renewable Energy

Laboratory

• Elective courses include “Assessing Sustainable

Energy Technologies” and “Financing Business

Opportunities in a Resource-Challenged World”

• Incorporates sustainable practices into core

subjects such as supply chain management

University of Colorado, Boulder,

Leeds School of Business

• Ranked #1 US school in Beyond Grey Pinstripes

report

• Option for a join MBA/MS program related to

business, the environment and sustainability

• Loan repayment assistance for students who go into

non-profit careers after graduation

University of Michigan,

Stephen M. Ross School

of Business

• One of the longest MBA program histories in

sustainability

• A third of students involved in sustainable

development

• Courses include “Environmental Strategy”, “Climate

Change”, and “Sustainable Enterprise”

University of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler

Business School

Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate

Social

Responsibility

• Madrid-based school offering over 60

courses that relate to corporate

responsibility and sustainability

• Courses address triple bottom line:

people, planet, profit

• Specialized courses in “Business

Government and Society”, and “Eco-

Intelligent Management”

• Dedicated chair in ethics serves as

hub for CSR-related activities

Instituto do Empresa (IE)

• Barcelona-based school has 90% of

its core courses involving a social or

environmental context

• Dedicated courses include “Global

Context of Management” and

“Social Marketing”

• 23 core courses feature corporate

social responsibility

ESADE

• Launched the Center for CSR in 2003 as a bridge

between academia and the corporate world

• Non-profit and Public Management track offers

students the experience of non-profit board service

UC Berkeley, Haas School of

Business

• Students have the

opportunity to work with the

Haas Socially Responsible

Investment Fund

Social Enterprise

Social

Enterprise

• Sustainability is fully incorporated

throughout the entire MBA

program

• Courses such as “Globalization and

Markets” taught by Nobel Prize

winner, Joseph Stiglitz

• Particularly strong in international

development where students can

advise global clients on

microfinance and health care

Columbia Business School

• Elective courses include

“Global Corporate Social

Responsibility” and

“Sustainability as a Driver”

• The Center for Sustainable

Global Enterprise focuses

on base-of-the-pyramid

enterprise development

Cornell University, The

Johnson School

• Fellowship program offers scholarships to

emerging leaders who have a commitment to

social responsibility

• Established the Center for the

Advancement of Social

Entrepreneurship in 2002

• Courses such as Corporate

Social Impact Management

• Admissions office has made

strides in placing special value

on applicants with social and

environmental interests

Duke University, Fuqua

School of Business

• Social enterprise materials is mainstreamed into all

aspects of research and

teaching

• Offers a Leadership Fellows

Program with grants for

deserving graduates who

choose to work in public

and non-profit enterprises

Harvard Business School

• Social Enterprise Initiative (SEI) started in 1993 and

was one of the first of its kind

• Skoll Center offers a number of

fully-funded scholarships for

students working in social

entrepreneurship

• Offers more than 20 courses that

integrate social and environmental

issues

Oxford University, Said

School of Business

• Incorporates macro issues via the

Institute for Science, Innovation

and Society

• Considered one of the best all-around MBA programs for sustainability

• Offers elective courses in public and non-profit management, social entrepreneurship, and philanthropy

• Center for Social Innovation offers courses, projects and fieldwork to build leadership skills in pursuing social value creation

Stanford University Graduate

School of Business

• At the forefront of merging

public interest with private

enterprise since 1976

• Courses include “Managing

Social Enterprises in

Developing Countries”, and

“Philanthropic Foundations”

Yale University School of

Management

• Students who go on to work in non-profit

management may qualify for a generous loan-

forgiveness program

Thinking of a Green MBA?

Research target

schools

Envision your future

career path

Craft an

outstanding

application

Challengeyourself, challenge the world!

Betsy Massar, CEO

Master Admissions

betsy@masteradmissions.com

www.masteradmissions.com

+1 415-305-1163

Twitter: @MasterAdmission

References & Disclaimers

• Net Impact/Aspen Institute study – November 2008

• 2009-2010 Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey

• This presentation summarizes reviews of 15 AACSB-accredited business

schools that have distinguished themselves in an aspect of sustainability.

Please note that the list of schools in this presentation is not exhaustive.