Corporate & Social Responsibility
B-schools aren’t looking for the next Top 10 richest business people—they want applicants who are passionately committed to making the world a better place.
Across the globe, graduate management students are committed to positive social change to address concerns that will have an impact on the future. More than half of the graduates who participated in the 2010 Global Management Education Graduate Survey indicated that emphasis on community and inclusion was of great importance. In addition, the survey also showed that 2010 graduates placed great value on the following:
- Selecting jobs that allow them to achieve something they personally value and make an impact
- Organizations that have high ethical standards and solid images or reputations
An MBA gives you a broad understanding of how businesses function and sustain profitability, but the skills you build in b-school also apply to helping others outside your organization.
Curriculum, Activities, & Network
Stories of corporate greed have continued to surface in recent years, particularly in light of the current economic situation. Although ethics has long been a component of b-school curricula, many b-schools have expanded their course catalogs to include “social enterprise” and “global entrepreneurship” concentrations to meet the need of students who wish to move beyond business as usual.
Outside the classroom, b-schools encourage students to give back to the local community and to take on service projects with local and global reach. Schools and programs band together for larger projects, and many participate in TeamMBA, the GMAC initiative to help strengthen the relationship between b-school and society. TeamMBA celebrates and supports the efforts of MBA students to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
B-school students committed to corporate and social responsibility take what they learn in the classroom and work together to apply it to projects that address everything from the local soup kitchen to global climate change. Learning in cohorts not only builds a professional network—it also creates a team of motivated individuals who could build a house, raise money for cancer research, or develop a sustainable business plan for small business owners in a developing country.
