Many business schools are including sustainability programs among their MBA offerings because business opportunities in the field have increased. “We’re talking about business strategies as they relate to sustainability,” says Andrew Hoffman, professor and director of the Erb Institute, which is a joint-degree program between University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and the School for Natural Resources the Environment. “Sustainability is a business opportunity that compliments the MBA.” From clean energy to programs to reduce a company’s carbon footprint, sustainability knowledge is in practical demand. In honor of Earth Day (April 22), here is a list of some interesting programs that focus on sustainability:

Erb Institute at University of Michigan

In three years, students of this program earn MBA and MS degrees from two schools, with enough time to take on a pair of internships if they want to experiment with diverse, relevant fields. They must turn in a master’s thesis, which usually yields a publishable paper or book. Many graduates wind up working in energy and raw materials at for-profit businesses that offer competitive salaries, says Hoffman.

Business and Environment Masters Program at Yale

The longest-standing joint degree in business and the environment has been offered since 1982 by the Yale School of Management and the School of Forestry Environmental Studies. The program is enhanced by the existence of the Yale Center for Business the Environment and the Business Environment Club at SOM. Graduates receive an MBA and a degree in either environment or forestry.

Sustainable Enterprise Concentration at UNC Kenan-Flagler

About 30 percent of the MBA Class of 2012 at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School completed this concentration. These students take required courses in the business school and at other UNC schools in areas such as public policy, international studies, social work, city and regional planning, and environmental studies. A strong Net Impact club and a center for sustainable enterprise are among the tools at students’ disposal. As part of their capstone project, students travel to East Africa to help local groups confront business issues.

MS Environment and Resources/MBA at Stanford

This joint-degree program between Stanford Graduate School of Business and the School of Earth Sciences focuses on the science, engineering, and technology required to address environmental problems. A capstone project demands that students demonstrate an ability to integrate all three. The Aspen Institute recently ranked Stanford Graduate School of Business No. 1 in its Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranking for the school’s “curriculum, research, experiential learning, and commitment to corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.”

Specializations in Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy and Clean Technology at Haas

The UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business offers a general management MBA with specializations in corporate social responsibility and in energy and clean technology. Both specializations require students to work on real-world projects.

Specialization in Social Innovation and Impact at NYU Stern

This specialization at New York University’s Stern School of Business is complemented by the Social Impact Internship Fund, which provides funding for students who pursue internships in the social sector, and a student-led task force, the Stern Campus Greening Initiative, which creates green initiatives at both the undergraduate and graduate level. “The size and complexity of the problems—and opportunities—facing business today require leaders who understand the linkages between the financial and the real economy, between business and policy, and who can balance the quest for profit with a responsibility to the public good,” writes Jill Kickul, professor and director of Stern’s Stewart Satter Program in Social Entrepreneurship. “Tomorrow’s global business leaders must be forward-looking to succeed.”

Join the discussion on the Bloomberg Businessweek Business School Forum, visit us on Facebook, and follow @BWbschools on Twitter.

Article source: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-17/going-green-mba-sustainability-programs

Many business schools are including sustainability programs among their MBA offerings because business opportunities in the field have increased. “We’re talking about business strategies as they relate to sustainability,” says Andrew Hoffman, professor and director of the Erb Institute, which is a joint-degree program between University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and the School for Natural Resources the Environment. “Sustainability is a business opportunity that compliments the MBA.” From clean energy to programs to reduce a company’s carbon footprint, sustainability knowledge is in practical demand. In honor of Earth Day (April 22), here is a list of some interesting programs that focus on sustainability:

Erb Institute at University of Michigan

In three years, students of this program earn MBA and MS degrees from two schools, with enough time to take on a pair of internships if they want to experiment with diverse, relevant fields. They must turn in a master’s thesis, which usually yields a publishable paper or book. Many graduates wind up working in energy and raw materials at for-profit businesses that offer competitive salaries, says Hoffman.

Business and Environment Masters Program at Yale

The longest-standing joint degree in business and the environment has been offered since 1982 by the Yale School of Management and the School of Forestry Environmental Studies. The program is enhanced by the existence of the Yale Center for Business the Environment and the Business Environment Club at SOM. Graduates receive an MBA and a degree in either environment or forestry.

Sustainable Enterprise Concentration at UNC Kenan-Flagler

About 30 percent of the MBA Class of 2012 at the University of North Carolina’s Kenan-Flagler Business School completed this concentration. These students take required courses in the business school and at other UNC schools in areas such as public policy, international studies, social work, city and regional planning, and environmental studies. A strong Net Impact club and a center for sustainable enterprise are among the tools at students’ disposal. As part of their capstone project, students travel to East Africa to help local groups confront business issues.

MS Environment and Resources/MBA at Stanford

This joint-degree program between Stanford Graduate School of Business and the School of Earth Sciences focuses on the science, engineering, and technology required to address environmental problems. A capstone project demands that students demonstrate an ability to integrate all three. The Aspen Institute recently ranked Stanford Graduate School of Business No. 1 in its Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranking for the school’s “curriculum, research, experiential learning, and commitment to corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability.”

Specializations in Corporate Social Responsibility and Energy and Clean Technology at Haas

The UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business offers a general management MBA with specializations in corporate social responsibility and in energy and clean technology. Both specializations require students to work on real-world projects.

Specialization in Social Innovation and Impact at NYU Stern

This specialization at New York University’s Stern School of Business is complemented by the Social Impact Internship Fund, which provides funding for students who pursue internships in the social sector, and a student-led task force, the Stern Campus Greening Initiative, which creates green initiatives at both the undergraduate and graduate level. “The size and complexity of the problems—and opportunities—facing business today require leaders who understand the linkages between the financial and the real economy, between business and policy, and who can balance the quest for profit with a responsibility to the public good,” writes Jill Kickul, professor and director of Stern’s Stewart Satter Program in Social Entrepreneurship. “Tomorrow’s global business leaders must be forward-looking to succeed.”

Join the discussion on the Bloomberg Businessweek Business School Forum, visit us on Facebook, and follow @BWbschools on Twitter.

Article source: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-04-17/going-green-mba-sustainability-programs

For women around the world, education provides a pathway to greater economic and social independence, greater confidence and a better life. In my homeland of Iraq, accessing education can be a challenge for many women. Those who don’t grow up in cities have limited opportunities for education, and many can’t afford to travel to a school or pay for their education. Growing up in the center of Babylon, an ancient historic city with the hanging gardens of Babylon (one of the seven wonders of the Ancient world) about 85 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad, afforded me more opportunity that others did not have in villages.

I was fortunate to not only have the opportunity for education, but also the encouragement and support of my family. My mother, who had no formal education, played a huge role in my commitment to education and desire to learn. She told me education was important for women so that they would become independent. She would stay up late with us when we studied, and was always supportive. My family taught me the values of honesty, respect, and hard work and an understanding of our culture.

It’s encouraging to know that influential businesses and organizations — like the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, Tupperware Brands and Rollins College — recognize that providing business opportunities to women can have a real impact on national identity and the global economy. The Global Links program has created a great opportunity for me — and for other women — to improve our society and economy. I learn the global skills that drive business success, share these with others and motivate them to do the same. This is especially important now in Iraq because we need to encourage the private sector to grow.

In January, I arrived in the United States for the first time feeling anxious, excited and a little unsure about what to expect from the Global Links program. I knew that I would be studying at an American university and working at a global corporation, but in the few short months that I’ve been here, I’ve already gained more knowledge and experience than I thought was possible.

My coursework at Rollins College is focused on entrepreneurship, women’s business ownership and financial self-sufficiency. These are ideas that are critical to my economic vitality in Iraq, and through my externship at Tupperware Brands, I will gain practical experience from the multi-billion-dollar public company, learning the fundamentals of direct selling, sales force development, entrepreneurial strategic planning, market analysis and general management skills, among other global business skills.

I’ve noticed that in America, a major part of education is focused on teaching students to work as a team. These teaching methods prepare students to be leaders in the future. If students work together in university they will cooperate better in their careers. These lessons in leadership and entrepreneurship are critical to women’s empowerment in Iraq, giving women the knowledge, skills and confidence to build their own businesses.

When I return back to Iraq, I plan to establish two centers at Babylon College, a career development center to help female students’ transition to successful careers and a social entrepreneurship center to build stronger links with the community and offer additional services. I know that with the experiences and education I’m receiving through the Global Links program, I can become more effectively involved in my community, especially in the social aspect. This experience has already transformed me, and I feel a sense of pride that I can use my knowledge to influence other women and help them reach a better situation.

We need companies like Tupperware Brands that offer opportunities to women to improve their lives. By giving women the opportunity of education and knowledge of entrepreneurship, we are helping them to be more confident, independent and receptive in communities – and in society as a whole.

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-amel-abed-mohamed-ali/entrepreneurship-empowering-women_b_1424316.html?ref=impact

For women around the world, education provides a pathway to greater economic and social independence, greater confidence and a better life. In my homeland of Iraq, accessing education can be a challenge for many women. Those who don’t grow up in cities have limited opportunities for education, and many can’t afford to travel to a school or pay for their education. Growing up in the center of Babylon, an ancient historic city with the hanging gardens of Babylon (one of the seven wonders of the Ancient world) about 85 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad, afforded me more opportunity that others did not have in villages.

I was fortunate to not only have the opportunity for education, but also the encouragement and support of my family. My mother, who had no formal education, played a huge role in my commitment to education and desire to learn. She told me education was important for women so that they would become independent. She would stay up late with us when we studied, and was always supportive. My family taught me the values of honesty, respect, and hard work and an understanding of our culture.

It’s encouraging to know that influential businesses and organizations — like the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, Tupperware Brands and Rollins College — recognize that providing business opportunities to women can have a real impact on national identity and the global economy. The Global Links program has created a great opportunity for me — and for other women — to improve our society and economy. I learn the global skills that drive business success, share these with others and motivate them to do the same. This is especially important now in Iraq because we need to encourage the private sector to grow.

In January, I arrived in the United States for the first time feeling anxious, excited and a little unsure about what to expect from the Global Links program. I knew that I would be studying at an American university and working at a global corporation, but in the few short months that I’ve been here, I’ve already gained more knowledge and experience than I thought was possible.

My coursework at Rollins College is focused on entrepreneurship, women’s business ownership and financial self-sufficiency. These are ideas that are critical to my economic vitality in Iraq, and through my externship at Tupperware Brands, I will gain practical experience from the multi-billion-dollar public company, learning the fundamentals of direct selling, sales force development, entrepreneurial strategic planning, market analysis and general management skills, among other global business skills.

I’ve noticed that in America, a major part of education is focused on teaching students to work as a team. These teaching methods prepare students to be leaders in the future. If students work together in university they will cooperate better in their careers. These lessons in leadership and entrepreneurship are critical to women’s empowerment in Iraq, giving women the knowledge, skills and confidence to build their own businesses.

When I return back to Iraq, I plan to establish two centers at Babylon College, a career development center to help female students’ transition to successful careers and a social entrepreneurship center to build stronger links with the community and offer additional services. I know that with the experiences and education I’m receiving through the Global Links program, I can become more effectively involved in my community, especially in the social aspect. This experience has already transformed me, and I feel a sense of pride that I can use my knowledge to influence other women and help them reach a better situation.

We need companies like Tupperware Brands that offer opportunities to women to improve their lives. By giving women the opportunity of education and knowledge of entrepreneurship, we are helping them to be more confident, independent and receptive in communities – and in society as a whole.

Article source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-amel-abed-mohamed-ali/entrepreneurship-empowering-women_b_1424316.html?ref=impact

Social entrepreneurship has emerged as one of the fastest growing economic sectors in Australia over the last five years. With a growth of 37 percent in five years, social entrepreneurship is making a significant contribution to economy. These figures have been revealed in a research study conducted by Opportunity International Australia (OIA) that was undertaken to commemorate World Entrepreneurship Day.

The study reveals that governmental and university initiatives have led to an increasing acceptance of the social enterprise sector in the country. OIA philanthropy director Stephen Robertson says: “The growth in social entrepreneurship as a field of study is in response to student demand.”

There is a major thrust on promoting education and training in social entrepreneurship in Australia. Six Australian universities currently offer study modules or courses in social enterprise. Robertson says: “For many years prominent universities in America, such as Yale, have offered courses in the field, and we are seeing burgeoning interest in Australia.”

Initiatives of the Australian government, such as the Social Enterprise Development and Investment Fund (SEDIF), are helping promote social businesses by financing social enterprise. SEDIF has provided funding to more than a hundred social enterprise projects already, with a total expenditure of over $73.6 million.

Social entrepreneurship is also attracting the attention of top entrepreneurial talent in the country. “We are seeing a trend for entrepreneurs who have built successful empires to apply their skills to social businesses. If you were to look across the BRW Rich List, you would see many faces now successfully turning their hands to social enterprise or supporting entrepreneurs in some capacity,” says Robertson.

OIA believes that business organizations consider a number of factors before extending their support to the social enterprise sector. They evaluate a logical fit between the new venture and their existing business, and the level of understanding between the potential partners.

Robertson says, “Entrepreneurs aren’t prepared to throw money at any social business. They are extremely considered, and the opportunity must tick all the boxes, both commercially and personally.”

Source: Dynamic Business
Photo Credit: svilen001

Article source: http://www.justmeans.com/Rapid-Growth-of-Social-Enterprises-in-Australia/53389.html

Social entrepreneurship has emerged as one of the fastest growing economic sectors in Australia over the last five years. With a growth of 37 percent in five years, social entrepreneurship is making a significant contribution to economy. These figures have been revealed in a research study conducted by Opportunity International Australia (OIA) that was undertaken to commemorate World Entrepreneurship Day.

The study reveals that governmental and university initiatives have led to an increasing acceptance of the social enterprise sector in the country. OIA philanthropy director Stephen Robertson says: “The growth in social entrepreneurship as a field of study is in response to student demand.”

There is a major thrust on promoting education and training in social entrepreneurship in Australia. Six Australian universities currently offer study modules or courses in social enterprise. Robertson says: “For many years prominent universities in America, such as Yale, have offered courses in the field, and we are seeing burgeoning interest in Australia.”

Initiatives of the Australian government, such as the Social Enterprise Development and Investment Fund (SEDIF), are helping promote social businesses by financing social enterprise. SEDIF has provided funding to more than a hundred social enterprise projects already, with a total expenditure of over $73.6 million.

Social entrepreneurship is also attracting the attention of top entrepreneurial talent in the country. “We are seeing a trend for entrepreneurs who have built successful empires to apply their skills to social businesses. If you were to look across the BRW Rich List, you would see many faces now successfully turning their hands to social enterprise or supporting entrepreneurs in some capacity,” says Robertson.

OIA believes that business organizations consider a number of factors before extending their support to the social enterprise sector. They evaluate a logical fit between the new venture and their existing business, and the level of understanding between the potential partners.

Robertson says, “Entrepreneurs aren’t prepared to throw money at any social business. They are extremely considered, and the opportunity must tick all the boxes, both commercially and personally.”

Source: Dynamic Business
Photo Credit: svilen001

Article source: http://www.justmeans.com/Rapid-Growth-of-Social-Enterprises-in-Australia/53389.html

Re “Sam Spade at Starbucks” (column, April 13):

David Brooks injects a salutary jolt of realism into the idealism of contemporary young people. But I think he sells them far short. As someone who has dealt with several generations of students in my years of university teaching, I can say with some modest authority that these are among the most realistic and most idealistic young people I’ve ever taught.

Yes, many have traveled to parts of the world where they have encountered the reality of people living in abject poverty, but that is precisely why they are choosing avenues of change that the established political parties do not seem to be addressing.

They often have a global outlook that catapults them, through instant communication with their peers elsewhere, into a world that Mr. Brooks (or I, for that matter) could scarcely have imagined when he was their age. I think that we should give this generation the benefit of the doubt.

(Rev.) PAUL CROWLEY
Santa Clara, Calif., April 13, 2012

The writer, a Jesuit priest, is a professor of religious studies at Santa Clara University.

To the Editor:

Although I agree with David Brooks that many young adults’ social entrepreneurship projects provide only temporary relief and do not address the core issues of a community, he doesn’t give these projects the credit they deserve.

Some projects may provide only a month, one day or 15 minutes of relief, but those 15 minutes could be the saving moments that keep someone from the breaking point.

Entrepreneur activists need money, power and government support, three things most recent college grads don’t have. Instead, these young professionals do what they know best, get creative and do what they can to make a difference, even as small and obsolete as their efforts might seem.

It is a feat in itself that these projects exist and that today’s young adults want to choose a career path that is not based on self-profit.

MADDIE JONES
Chicago, April 14, 2012

To the Editor:

David Brooks laments a lack of hardheadedness among today’s idealistic social entrepreneurs. If Mr. Brooks is saying we need more good people running for office or to work in government, I say bravo. But let’s not conflate political and social entrepreneurship: one works in an existing system; the other rejects the prevailing system to create something new and more effective.

What makes the best of today’s social entrepreneurs inspiring is their relentless purpose and optimism, their refusal to accept the status quo, and their willingness to take risks to tackle underlying issues like market failures, information asymmetries, public ignorance or misaligned stakeholders that government cannot effectively address alone.

What today’s idealists typically need is not more moral realism, but simply more focus and a better support system to help them lead effectively. Unlike Sam Spade, who wanted to put the bad guys in jail, today’s new generation of social entrepreneurs feel an urgent need to build a more entrepreneurial, more empathetic world, with fewer bad guys. That’s not doe-eyed idealism; it’s a critical success factor for the future of our planet.

BEN POWELL
Washington, April 13, 2012

The writer, a social entrepreneur, is founder and chief executive of Agora Partnerships.

To the Editor:

As a graduate student at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, I strongly disagree with David Brooks. Come spend a day at our school, and you will find dozens of students who, yes, have traveled extensively in developing countries and are entrepreneurial, bright and good willed. But many of us are also painfully cynical and not idealistic at all about the important work ahead of us.

We understand the political contexts within the fields we aim to work, and we spend days discussing remedies to social ills and the economics and politics behind them. We do not ignore the political progress that needs to be achieved to carry out sustainable changes; in fact, that consumes most of our conversations, and many solutions are proposed only if they tackle this front as well.

Yes, the proliferation of “do gooders” can be overwhelming at times, and it is easy to question whether or not they truly grasp the crux of the issue at hand. But don’t look for us at Starbucks — we’re too busy solving real issues to hang out in coffee shops.

JESSICA BARRINEAU
New York, April 13, 2012

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/17/opinion/are-young-social-activists-too-idealistic.html

Honors College students enrolled in the second year seminar, HON-200, attended a lecture about social entrepreneurship Monday. The sophomore convocation address, which was sponsored by the annual Wolfe Lecture Series, featured Jessica Jackley.

When selecting the speaker for the first annual sophomore convocation, dean of the honors college Mary Todd said the faculty looked for an individual who exemplified both initiative and morality.

“The HON-200 faculty thought that after looking at several different speakers that Jessica Jackley would bring the message that HON-200 is all about, which is doing something and doing it with both style and ethics,” Todd said. “You can bring leadership no matter how young you are.”

A social entrepreneur, Jackley is co-founder of two microfinance projects. Kiva is a nonprofit microlending organization where donations of as little as $25 are sent to a borrower in a developing region to help them jump start their means of living, such as farming or small restaurants. The lender is able to connect and keep in contact with the people they support. When the borrower begins to see profit from the loan, the money is returned to the lender. Kiva began in October 2005 after Jackley observed grants at work in east Africa.

Profounder is Jackley’s second organization which provides beginning companies with resources and tools for entrepreneurs to raise investment capital from their friends and family. Investors are able to fund small businesses.

Jackley said she speaks to undergraduates with the intention of motivating young adults.

“I hope that my story can show people, especially undergrads, that they can do great things in the world, whether it’s a small project or something much larger, they can start taking steps even right now in college,” Jackley said. “It’s the perfect place to start.”

Jackley, who has undergraduate degrees from Bucknell University in philosophy and political science, said she took a bold and winding journey to her final destination. With no prescribed plan for after Stanford University was unforeseen, as she had no initial interest in business. She said she wanted to communicate that students can be innovative with any life goal.

“I hope the message comes across to people, whether they think of themselves as social entrepreneurs or anything else, that they can just feel inspired to be the best at what they’re doing,” Jackley said.

Ann-Elizabeth Hancock, sophomore pre-pharmacy major from Beckley, W.Va., said she understood Jackley’s message.

“If we put our mind to something and take risks then we can help people and also start developing a business, just like she did,” Hancock said.

Jackley was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2009 and currently working on her third entrepreneurial endeavor.

Brittanee Barton can be contacted at barton35@marshall.edu.

Article source: http://www.marshallparthenon.com/sports/entrepreneur-speaks-at-sophomore-honors-convocation-1.2730700

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An on-campus “Building Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in the Developing World” conference is scheduled from 5 p.m to 7:30 p.m. today in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art’s Sandy Bell Gallery.

The second symposium for the Social Entrepreneurship program will encourage students to begin networking to build OU as a regional leader for social entrepreneurship, event co-organizer Jack Randolph said.

Social entrepreneurship centers on the use of basic business models to create positive impacts on third-world economies by providing new jobs and educating consumers, similar to the business models used by TOMS Shoes and the Invisible Children Kony 2012 campaign.

“[Students] should go to the event to learn about how to create change through business, and how to use business models to change lives,” Randolph said.

This year’s keynote speakers are Javier Ewing, the managing director of Excelsior Firm’s Center for African Mid-Market Expansion, and Brett Smith, director of Miami University’s Institute of Entrepreneurship and founder of the Center for Social Entrepreneurship.

The Center for African Mid-Market Expansion is an economics center focused on aiding and developing small and medium-sized enterprises, beginning in East Africa and expanding across the rest of Africa and other emerging markets, according to the College of International Studies News and Events listings.

Students who attend the symposium will have to opportunity to listen to keynote speakers and ask questions concerning the speeches or the social entrepreneurship program.

Hors d’oeuvres will be provided, and RSVPs are appreciated. Email an RSVP to corie@ou.edu

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Article source: http://www.oudaily.com/news/2012/apr/17/symposium-encourage-students-build-ou-social-entre/