How is Education to Sustainability organized in European Business Schools? A multiple cases analysis in Belgium, France, and Germany.

Abstract

In the contemporary landscape, corporations can no longer shirk their societal responsibilities. The era of pursuing sheer shareholder profit while disregarding environmental and societal implications has concluded. To equip enterprises with the tools to confront significant socio-environmental challenges, adept individuals who possess an awareness of pertinent issues and are poised to address them are imperative. In this regard, business schools assume a pivotal role. Consequently, it is imperative for these schools to recalibrate their approach to sustainability education, comprehensively reimagining each facet of their activities to comprehend their potential impact on students' sustainability education. Within this context, the objective of this work is to present prevailing practices and delineate the focal constituents of sustainability education, through an evaluation of six business schools situated in Belgium, France, and Germany. Beyond the significance of embedding sustainability into the core managerial courses across diverse programs, these schools underscore the significance of galvanizing their communities to embody sustainability exemplification.