Posts Tagged ‘Sustainable MBA’
The Impact of Getting Involved by Taralyn Day
Posted by: tday in Sustainability on November 25th, 2010
Part of the value of the MBA program is the opportunity to network and get involved with local organizations. Many of us have found board and committee positions through SFU that will allow us to put our hard-earned business skills to work and give us invaluable experience before the job search is in full swing.
One of these organizations is Net Impact, a global non-profit association of business professionals and students working towards greater social and environmental sustainability. The SFU Segal Chapter is planning its 2010/11 year and I’m excited to be a member of the board to share information and work on upcoming events and initiatives.
Net Impact is currently highlighting the Socially Responsible Business Plan Competition that awards $100,000 in cash and prizes to outstanding business plans that are still in the start-up phase and have a defined social or environmental goal. Summaries are due by December 3rd, 2010 and a list of past winners can be found on the William James Foundation website. Read the rest of this entry »
Top MBA Programs in Canada for Sustainability
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Tips on June 29th, 2010
SFU Business’ Undergraduate and MBA Programs have again made the top ten list (out of 35 Canadian MBA programs) for “sustainable education”. The study looks at the integration of environmental and social sustainability issues into university programs. The research and report is done by a quarterly magazine publication called the Corporate Knights. The Corporate Knights study and report on about the corporate social responsibility and sustainability practices of Canadian Business, Education, Commerce, and Industry. Their overall goal is to help Canada become a leading country with regard to socially responsible commerce. This link will allow you to learn more about the Corporate Knights “Clean Capitalism” Magazine.
SFU Business and Graduate Business for the second time in a row has placed in the top ten for Sustainable Business Programs. Notably, the SFU MBA program in Vancouver has moved from the ninth position in 2009 to the eighth spot for 2010. While this full-time, one-year MBA program is still only in it’s third year of existence, it is steadily and consistently climbing the ranks of programs that have integrated social and environmental responsibility into their curriculum. It is in part due to the SFU MBA program administrator’s commitment to a dedicated Sustainability course along with a Business Ethics class that place SFU Grad Business among these top ranks. The fact that SFU is the first university in the world to name a Sustainability Entrepreneur in Residence, along with a fully supported student-run Net Impact chapter also helps the rankings. Read on for a more detailed view of the study as well as a link to the methodology. Read the rest of this entry »
Top Five Reasons to Do an MBA in Vancouver
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in MBA Experience on June 22nd, 2010
There are hundreds of students that travel from their homes in Canada or around the world every year to study for their MBA here in Vancouver. There is no doubt that the city is an ideal place to live, with incredibly temperate weather, ideal for outdoor activities, cosmopolitan culture, and more social activities than anyone could possibly keep up with. The city is also a hotbed for international business, as it is Canada’s link to Asia and the Pacific Rim. Be sure to read on for all five reason’s to look at MBA programs in Vancouver.
1.) Up and coming hotbed for Pacific Rim trade activity:
Studying for your MBA in Vancouver provides access to this developing hub for the Pacific Rim. One of the major strengths for Vancouver is the strong tie to Hong Kong, which is another up and coming gateway city. This is a good partnership as both Vancouver and Hong Kong provide access to the largest global markets, North America and China. Vancouver, leveraging NAFTA has access to the USA and Mexico, while Hong Kong has preferred trade access to China. To make the city even more appealing for international business, the Provincial Government has lowered corporate taxes and provides accessible immigration policies. The city benefits also from a very high standard of living, attracting foreigners for both business and pleasure travel. Read the rest of this entry »
SFU Business Sustainability Entrepreneur in Residence
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in MBA Experience on June 14th, 2010
The SFU Graduate Business school’s Full-Time MBA is one of the more sustainability-focused MBA’s currently in existence. The program features a dedicated, full-credit sustainability course, along with an equally apportioned ethics class as part of the mandatory full-time MBA offering. These courses provide evidence that SFU’s Graduate Business programs are committed to teaching sustainable and ethical values. The sustainability course in particular is backed by a faculty at SFU that is committed to sustainability planning and policy. The movement is supported in large part by Dr. Boyd Cohen, SFU’s Sustainability Entrepreneur in Residence.
SFU Graduate Business, located in downtown Vancouver is the first University Business School in Canada, and possibly the world to appoint one of their past faculty members as a Sustainability Entrepreneur in Residence. Boyd is a LEED-accredited (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) serial-green-entrepreneur, and a former SFU Business professor. He moved on from his academic focus in 2009 to dedicate his time to 3rd Whale, a company that provides mobile solutions for personal lifestyle, health, and conservation. Boyd has since moved on from 3rd Whale to start his new company CO2 Impact, as well as to write a book with Hunter Lovins, entitled, Climate Capitalism. Read the rest of this entry »
EPIC Vancouver – Sustainability Advice for MBA Students
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in MBA Experience, Sustainability on May 31st, 2010
Ethical. Progressive. Intelligent. Consumer. (Company).
EPIC is Western Canada’s largest sustainable living and working expo. In a city with a plethora of green space, one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, and mountain ranges as the backdrop to beautiful ocean views, there’s no surprise that Vancouver has Canada’s strongest sustainability movement. The last weekend of May is witness to an expo that showcases both the new and the tried and true sustainable living strategies. This year it was easy to notice that the show is also integrating sustainability into the workplace.
MBA students with a desire to focus on sustainable business strategies should take notice. As a student of business in the 21st century ethical and sustainable business practices should be absolutely top of mind. As a result, SFU has indoctrinated a full credit ethics course and an equally weighed sustainability course as part of the mandatory curriculum for the SFU Full-Time MBA Program. These courses have been part of the MBA program for three years, and will continue to be a major focus in the one-year MBA degree. Further, sustainability and ethics teachings are making their way into the curriculum of the other core MBA courses. As this article will go on to explain, this idea of integrating sustainability into every-day business is something that the EPIC expo is starting to focus on. One key exhibitor, the David Suzuki Foundation, has a very interesting take on it all. Read the rest of this entry »
Tips for Sustainable Business Planning
Posted by: Jessica Oman in Sustainability on May 14th, 2010
More than just a buzzword, sustainable business is going to become the norm. It has to. Every business has a social, an environmental, and an economic impact. To remain profitable all companies have to focus on sustainability, however the choose to define it.
If your company is interested in being more sustainable, you must first choose what aspect of sustainability – social, environmental, or economic – is most important to the business. Then, choose a pathway that is realistic and achievable. Sustainability activities, like any business activity, should be carefully planned, appropriately implemented, and regularly assessed, or it won’t be successful. So, set goals, create deadlines, and stick to them to gain credibility in the eyes of both internal and external stakeholders. Read the rest of this entry »
SFU MBA Experience: A Day in the Life of a New Vancouver Entrepreneur
Posted by: Jessica Oman in Student Life on May 3rd, 2010
The routine of working 9-5 isn’t for everyone, and as a young entrepreneur, it certainly isn’t for me. I’ve launched my own business, Write Ahead editing & writing services. This path necessitates that I take what I’ve learned from my recently completed MBA from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, and help businesses write, improve, or revise their business communications. Here is a story about a typical day in my atypical life, and how the SFU MBA helped me develop the skills and confidence to be an entrepreneur in Vancouver. Read the rest of this entry »
Avatar for MBA’s – A Graduate Business Perspective of Ethics and Sustainability
Posted by: ryan-schmidt in Student Life, Sustainability on February 17th, 2010
“If you set your goals ridiculously high and it’s a failure, you will fail above everyone else’s success.” – James Cameron
I’ll do my best not to spoil the movie, however if you haven’t seen it, do so… today. How I view Avatar is a great example of how the MBA has changed the way I perceive and think about the world around me. Beyond the classes specifically devoted to topics of social responsibility and ethics, most every class in the SFU MBA program, from Finance to Graduate Marketing, addresses these important issues. Read on for a brief look at how the Ethics and Sustainability sections of SFU’s Full-time MBA effected my analysis of the movie. Read the rest of this entry »