Integrating Sustainability into Business Schools
The ICCSR has been successful in its application for the Leadership, Governance and Management Fund of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). ‘Integrating Sustainability into Business Schools’ (ISIBS) is one of the ‘Leading Sustainable Development in Higher Education’ projects and analyses the extent to which business schools have integrated and communicated social, economic and ecological sustainability in their educational programmes, research and their organisational practices and processes.
The project, in collaboration with the University of Bath, School of Management, will run from September 2010 until August 2011. It will be supported by the following organisations: UN Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN PRME), UNESCO Chair ‘Higher Education for Sustainable Development’, European Academy of Business in Society, Aspen Institute, Association of Business Schools and several English business schools.
Research will look at those business schools that have already made commitments to contributing to sustainability education and will comprise content analysis of UN PRME reports and telephone survey among English business schools. The project will translate the research findings into mini cases of ‘Integrating Sustainability into Business Schools’ and develop tools and methods for wider use of these good practices.
The project thus aims to encourage business schools to begin seeding activities within their organisation and to improve our understanding of how these innovating units can interact with the wider organisation and address barriers within this process. The project will support business schools and their stakeholders in understanding their potential contributions to a sustainable development. English business schools will be encouraged and given guidance on how to contribute to the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.