At Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM), we are committed to integrating sustainability into every level of our institution. As one of the first business schools to adopt the legal status of a Société à Mission, we aim to lead by example and equip our students to tackle the world’s most pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges.
A recent article in QS Insights Magazine highlights GEM’s efforts to redefine the role of business schools in shaping a sustainable future.
The article explores six key themes in embedding sustainability within business education:
Sustainability in the Curriculum: Moving Beyond Electives
Business schools must integrate sustainability across all disciplines rather than confining it to standalone courses. At GEM, students engage with sustainability through practical experiences like internships, interdisciplinary projects, and corporate challenges, ensuring they develop both knowledge and actionable skills.
Researching Sustainability: Generating Knowledge for Impact
Academic research is vital for addressing global challenges. GEM’s specialized research centers focus on areas such as sustainable finance, energy transitions, and circular economies, bridging the gap between rigorous scholarship and real-world application.
Walking Our Talk: Operationalizing Sustainability on Campus
Institutions must lead by example, and GEM does so through initiatives like zero-waste policies, energy-efficient buildings, and carbon footprint reduction programs. By acting as a living laboratory for innovation, GEM demonstrates how schools can operationalize sustainability.
GEM Paris campus - an Ecocertified building with a biodiversity label
Collaborating with External Communities and Stakeholders
Partnerships amplify impact, and GEM actively collaborates with local governments, businesses, and NGOs to address urban sustainability challenges and develop sustainable business models. These collaborations ensure that the school’s influence extends beyond its walls.
Fostering a Culture of Sustainability Among Students and Alumni
Empowering students and alumni to act as sustainability leaders is central to GEM’s mission. Initiatives like Sustainability Day and student-led carbon footprint projects ensure that sustainability becomes a lived and shared experience. Alumni networks further extend this impact, creating a community of change-makers.
Challenges and Persistence
Embedding sustainability is not without its challenges, from resistance to change to balancing financial constraints. Yet, the urgency of global crises demands persistence and collaboration. GEM remains steadfast in its commitment, inspiring others to join this collective effort.
To explore Grenoble Ecole de Management’s innovative approach to embedding sustainability in business education, read the full article in QS Insights Magazine.
- Sustainability
