Research Collaborations around Sustainability – Canada, US, France, UK and Denmark

24 April 2012 by 1 Comment

To advance sustainability and the related themes being explored at Rio+20 in June 2012 and beyond, there needs to be an increase in research around the topics of sustainability and responsible leadership. Below are some examples from Canada, the US, France, the UK and Denmark.

  • The David O’Brien Centre for Sustainable Enterprise at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business has launched a Sustainability Scholars Program. Researchers from around the world are invited to visit for two to eight weeks and are encouraged to collaborate with faculty at the business school on research around sustainability and responsible leadership.
  • Villanova School of Business (VSB) has formed a Strategic Initiative Groups (SIGs) to enable diverse, multidisciplinary groups of faculty to collaborate around shared research and pedagogical interests. One such VSB group is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) SIG, which serves as a hub of ethics-related scholarship and teaching at the school.
  • Euromed Management is a member of the international academic network SEABUS (International Research Network on Social and Environmental Aspects in Business and Management). This network, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research, brings together ten research institutions from across the globe to foster research in the area of social and environmental aspects of business and management.
  • Aarhus University, Business and Social Sciences (ASB) provides seed money to stimulate interdisciplinary research collaborations within sustainability through a programme called Virtual Communities on Sustainability. If an ASB researcher has an idea for a research theme that requires expertise from more than one department at ASB, other research units at Aarhus or other universities, an organisational framework is now in place to support such initiatives.
  • Cranfield School of Management has set up a Small Grant fund, whereby applicants from across the School can apply for funding to support research that intersects with responsible and sustainable management.

An Inspirational Guide for the Implementation of PRME: Placing sustainability at the heart of management education, which includes more great examples of how schools are engaging faculty and addressing other common questions/concerns related to embedding sustainability, will be launched at PRME’s 3rd Global Forum at Rio+20 in June.

Filed under 4-Research, Canada, Denmark, France, UK, United States Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Getting Faculty on Board with Sustainability

9 April 2012 by Leave a comment

Business Schools are increasingly looking at how to embed sustainability into their curricula and in particular core courses. How to get faculty on board is one of the most common questions/concerns relayed by schools as they work in this area. Here are a handful of examples from Denmark, France, Turkey, Germany and the US showing how schools are bringing their faculty together to look at these issues.

  • Euromed Management has created CSR faculty officers who are mandated to provide a link between Euromed Management’s CSR Department and their own departments, with at least on representative from each area. Their role is to transmit and disseminate the CSR strategy to their departments, but also to bring ideas and information that may affect the school’s strategy to the attention of management. The CSR Officers have become vectors of Sustainable Development throughout the school. Last year, their commitment resulted in the creation of a student well-being project and working groups on dematerialisation and responsible purchasing.
  • Istanbul Bilgi University Department of Business Administration formed a working team consisting of four faculty members from Operations Management, Statistics, Economics and Marketing to look at sustainability. The multi-disciplinary taskforce held various in-depth interviews with faculty members from all the subject areas of the Business Department. During these interviews, they explained the main principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and PRME. Afterwards, the faculty were encouraged to integrate these concepts into their courses.
  • At the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, faculty created “primers” for each academic department to assist faculty with identifying ways to incorporate responsible leadership concepts (e.g. using case studies and readings) into academic frameworks and courses. They also conduct workshops for faculty to learn and discuss this very issue, present leading ideas and promising practices from other institution and firms, and share what others at Smith are already doing.
  • For several years now, HHL- Leipzig Graduate School of Management has been gradually expanding its institutional co-teaching (i.e. the joint teaching of courses by faculty from different areas of expertise). Students are very interested in understanding interfaces between different disciplines, such as the interaction between Ethics and Financial Management, Marketing Management, Strategic Management, Accounting, or Logistics Management. Examples include the incorporation of a session on ethical approaches in a marketing management module and the discussion of financial theory from a business ethics point of view.

An Inspirational Guide for the Implementation of PRME: Placing sustainability at the heart of management education, which includes more great examples of how schools are engaging faculty and addressing other common questions/concerns related to embedding sustainability, will be launched at PRME’s 3rd Global Forum at Rio+20 in June.

Filed under 3-Method, France, Germany, North America, Teaching, Turkey, United States, Western Europe Tagged with , , , , , , , , ,

Responsible Leadership in China: 5 questions for Eric Seidner, MBA 2010, and Director of the Being Globally Responsible Conference, CEIBS, China

9 January 2012 by Leave a comment


1.     What is the Being Globally Responsible Conference, and why do you feel it is important?

The Being Globally Responsible Conference is an annual, 2-day event organised by students at China Europe International Business School (CEIBS) in Shanghai, China. The event was started in 2006 by students and was such a big success that it became an annual event.  2011 marked the 6th year this event has been taking place and it is now the largest MBA student-led CSR conference in Asia-Pacific. The event aims to raise awareness about CSR among MBA students, help students learn about career options in this area, and provide networking platform between students and corporations.

Generally speaking, these conferences help to sustain an important dialogue about ethics and responsible business practices among members of the business community. It is with MBA students, however, and particularly with those studying in environments where there is a rapid acceleration of growth like we see in China, that I believe they have particular importance. MBAs are not green behind the ears; they have business experience, but they are still impressionable. To have conferences of this type at this stage in their career demonstrates that it need not always be “business as usual,” and that the responsibility to affect change really does rest in their hands.  In many cases, they also help to demonstrate that sustainable/responsible practices are not mutually exclusive from profitable ones.

2.     How is sustainability viewed in China by students? The business sector?

China’s growth and development over the last few decades has been astounding. But this rapid development comes at a cost: the depletion and pollution of resources.  For China, sustainability is not a buzzword or a utopian concept, it is necessary for survival.  China is heading towards many choke points in resources (e.g. fresh water supplies) and a potential crisis in health costs from rampant pollution.  The seriousness of these issues has been reflected in the country’s latest five-year plan, which enumerated very ambitious sustainability goals.  In the business community, there is often a sharp focus on short-term profit but a rather myopic view of long-term consequences. Surrounded by this, Chinese MBAs need to hear alternative views so that they can question and challenge the business status quo.

Because China is newly wealthy, there is a tendency to enjoy “having” after so long of “having not”.  Chinese have many new options, opportunities and life styles to explore and are eager to do so. A lot of emphasis is placed on earning money and enjoying the material world that did not exist a decade ago in China. Sustainability is often back-seated to business concepts (e.g. finance) that demonstrate a clearer path to wealth.  It is therefore critical to demonstrate that sustainable practices have real results for bottom lines if implemented properly. Fortunately, there are a growing number of Chinese businesses looking at these issues.

3.     How many students attended the last event? Did they feel it was a success?

The conference is very successful, and every year more students attend.  Students came from over 19 business schools across China and a long list of international schools, as well as representatives from business, not-for-profit organisations and academia. We had speakers from multiple countries, business fields and with very differing perspectives and insights on the topic.  Furthermore, we had speeches, panels, workshops, activities and even a marketplace. In short, we felt we offered a very well rounded and impactful line-up at the BGRC. I’m looking forward to the 2012 edition!

4.     What have been some of your favourite moments from the event?

This year we had an incredible list of speakers, including Ning Li, the founder and Chairman of LI-NING (sporting equipment), Casey Wilson, the founder of Wokai (a Chinese version of Kiva), Bo Wen, an environmental activist and Time Magazine Eco Hero, as well as representatives from national and international businesses across China. Besides meeting my childhood martial arts hero, Jet Li, Chairman of One Foundation Philanthropy Research Institute, I was really pleased with the large turnout and the feedback I received from both presenters and attendees.  It is important that these events have a networking component that helps connect members of this community.

5. Are students at CEIBS very active in sustainability? What else are you up to?

CEIBS is very active in this regard.  We have modules on responsible leadership, ethics and corporate governance.  We also have a two semester-long responsible leadership project that requires student teams to work on sustainability projects with local and international companies. To demonstrate that CEIBS walks the talk, it is also the first carbon neutral business school in Asia, which is an initiative that grew out of a responsible leadership project and was then carried forth by myself and two other teammates.  We launched several energy reduction campaigns on campus, planted a forest of 1000 trees in Inner Mongolia and eventually offset the school’s carbon emissions. There is now a large team of about 10-14 students, known as the Decarbonators, dedicated to furthering’ sustainability efforts at CEIBS.

For more information

Filed under 1-Purpose, 5 Questions, 6-Dialogue, Asia, China, Student Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Board Fellows Programmes Part 3 – 5 questions for Sarah Boulden Board Fellow from Leeds School of Business

2 January 2012 by Leave a comment

(This blog is part 3 of a three part series looking Board Fellows Programmes. Click here to read part 1 and part 2.)

For the final part of this three part blog on Board Fellows Programmes, we speak with a student who is taking part in the programme. As we saw in part 1 and part 2, Board Fellows Programmes are a growing trend in MBAs across the US where students are placed as non-voting board members for not for profits and charities.

Sarah Boulden is an MBA student at Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado in the US. Since January 2011, she has been a non-voting member of the board of Voices for Children CASA (Court Appointment Special Advocates) a nonprofit based in Boulder, Colorado. Sarah is part of Leeds Business School’s Board Fellow Program, which places students in nonprofits across the city, including the Boulder History Museum and the YMCA of Boulder Valley. I recently had the chance to speak with Sarah about the programme.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself and the organisation you are working with.

I am a JD/MBA student. Since January 2011, I have been a non-voting member of the board of Voices for Children CASA, which provides investigation, advocacy, monitoring and direct service to child victims of abuse and neglect. The organisation helps to find safe and permanent homes for these children.

2. What kind of work you are doing on the board?

My Board Fellows project was to develop a strategic marketing plan for the organisation. I used skills I learned during my time at CU Boulder in the Leeds MBA program as well as past experience to develop this plan. I presented it to the board at the end of the summer, and we are beginning to implement it. The board at VFC CASA is unique compared to many nonprofits, in that it is a “working board.” All board members are very active, not only in deciding on big picture plans for the organisation, but also helping with the implementation of its programs.

3. Why did you get involved in the board fellows project?

As a JD/MBA student, this nonprofit was a great fit, because I got to see both legal and business issues within the organisation. Although I have worked with nonprofits in the past, I had never sat on a nonprofit board before. The Board Fellow Program allows students like me to learn how nonprofits operate while also adding value to the organisation throughout a year-long project.

4. What you are learning?

In addition to working on and beginning to implement a marketing plan, I also helped kick-start a new volunteer program and helped plan the organisation’s first-ever golf tournament fundraiser. Serving on committees has allowed me to make a significant impact on the organisation as well as allowed me to get to know board members, who are also strong community leaders, on an individual basis.

5. Any tips for students interested in joining the Program in the future?

Working with a mentor is really a key part of the programme. I met with both the head of the marketing committee and the President of the Board about once every other month. I also met with the Executive Director monthly, so I got a good feel for how the board and staff interacted, and I learned a lot from them. My time on the board officially ends in December 2011, but I plan to continue volunteering at Voices For Children CASA.

Filed under 1-Purpose, 2-Values, 5-Partnership, North America, United States, Student, Service-Based Learning Tagged with , , , , ,

Board Fellows Programmes Part 2 – 5 questions for Becky Johns, MBA 2012 and coordinator of the programme at Leeds School of Business

30 December 2011 by 1 Comment

(This blog is part 2 of a three part series looking Board Fellows Programmes. Click here to read part 1.)

 In part 1 of this 3 part series on Board Fellows Programmes we looked at a growing trend of placing MBA students as non-voting board members of not for profits and charities across the US. In part 2 we look at one particular programme and how Net Impact is promoting these programmes nationally and internationally.

Many Board Fellows Programmes across the US are student initiated and most of these are started by student members of the Net Impact club, an international network of students dedicated to sustainable business. A few years ago, Net Impact launched their Board Fellows Programme, providing support for local clubs in the form of guide books and dedicated conference calls. Boston University School of Management Board Fellows Programme, BU on Board, was started by their Net Impact club in 2010 and works with a range of non-profits, including Cambridge Childcare Resource Center, Aids Action Committee of Massachusetts and Medicine Wheel Production. Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado also recently started their programme, and I had the chance to speak with Becky Johns (MBA 2012) who is leading the programme.

1. How long has the Board Fellows Programme been going on at Leeds

Tyler Hammer and Emily Stanley, both MBA students, founded the Leeds Board Fellows Program during the spring of 2010. The first class of Fellows started in January 2011 and is just finishing their term this December.  We are finalising matches for the 2012 class this coming week.

2. How many students do you place each year?

We have 10 MBA students who completed the 2011 Leeds Board Fellows Program. Our goal for future years is not necessarily making more matches, but ensuring that we make quality matches between students and nonprofits.

3. Do you find it easy to get not-for-profits engaged in the programme?

We were fortunate enough to align ourselves with an organisation called the Nonprofit Cultivation Center, which was founded by a Leeds MBA alum, Amy Rosenblum, to support nonprofits in Boulder County. Our connection with Amy and the Nonprofit Cultivation Center lent legitimacy to our new program when we reached out to local organisations, so it has not been difficult to get nonprofit engagement.

4. Who manages the programme at Leeds?

The two individuals who started the program, Tyler and Emily, graduated this past May. I took over the program with another classmate this year, and we have three students from the class of 2013 preparing to take over for next year. The Program has two professor mentors and support from the Nonprofit Cultivation Center.

5. Any tips for other schools thinking of putting in place a similar programme?

The Leeds Board Fellows Program is a national programme that is part of Net Impact. For schools that already have a Net Impact chapter, setting up a board fellows program is relatively easy. Net Impact provides templates, national conference calls, general guidance and resources.

The Net Impact Board Fellows Programme Manual provides sample letters, application forms and other resources for Net Impact clubs interested in starting a programme on campus. Although board fellows are currently found primarily on US campuses, materials and support are available for interested international clubs.


Filed under 1-Purpose, 3-Method, 5-Partnership, North America, Service-Based Learning, Student, United States Tagged with , , , , , ,

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