(June 2010)
We are at an interesting point in the history of business, and by extension, business education. For the first time, in the past few years, the study of ethics in business has taken an increased interest in how businesses impact the environment, whether it be for good or ill. Now, there exist MBA programs specifically geared toward environmental management. What's more, the vast majority of MBA programs offer electives that enable students to see their future careers in business through the lens of sustainability.
Whether or not you take a specific interest in environmental issues, it is important to remember that environmental sustainability is becoming an industry in and of itself. If you open yourself up to the environmental dimensions that can and will coexist seamlessly with businesses of the future, then you are doing yourself a favor. You will empower yourself to take advantage of a much wider spectrum of business opportunities. The fact that you will also be achieving a mindset that advocates for a better, healthier world should not be dismissed out of hand either.
An interesting Bloomberg Business Week article published last year discusses the nature of these environmental trends. According to the article, business schools "going green" are so much more prevalent now, and their "greenness" isn't merely restricted to the curriculum. The example the article cites is schools like Babson, which has implemented 150 green initiatives, including on-campus wind power and recycling cafeteria cooking oil.
So what, exactly, is the nature of this burgeoning greenness in business schools? Is it merely a fad, or is it something more enduring? According to Forest Reinhardt, a Harvard Business School professor, it is definitely the former. Reinhardt asserts, "We would not be making these [environmental] efforts if we thought this was the flavor of the month."
If you aren't entirely convinced that environmental sustainability should be a higher priority in business strategy than it has traditionally been, then consider Verdantix CEO David Metcalf's recent opinion article published in Environmental Leader. Metcalf proffers, "Sustainability plans are not a response to climate change. They deliver short-term operating efficiencies such as energy cost reductions and brand benefits are quickly achieved with small investments in renewable energy or reduced packaging. While double digit growth is a luxury few firms can contemplate, sustainability is already courting such figures."
In short, focusing on environmental sustainability while pursuing an MBA degree simply makes good business sense.
This guest post is contributed by Tim Handorf, who writes on the topics of top online colleges. He welcomes your comments at his email Id: [email protected].
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