especially for developing economies in Africa. While governments and corporates have an important role when it comes to dealing with climate challenges, business schools also have a significant part to play in working together and helping society to benefit from their collective strengths and experiences. Accelerating the pace of change Action on climate change requires leadership that should not be confined to passionate speeches at global conferences and forums. While there has been real progress over the past few years to achieve a net-zero transition by 2050, we must ask ourselves whether it is enough. The most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, echoing the views of both experts and the public, suggests that there is much more to do. For example, a November 2022 Edelman survey of adults in 14 countries showed that 71 per cent felt we must move faster in addressing climate change. It is perhaps no surprise that African countries expressed some of the strongest views, with 81 per cent of South Africans believing that we need to up the ante. Moving faster will require a collective societal e ort, including greener policies and regulations, increased financing and other resources but, most importantly, it will mean regular capacity-building programmes and an investment in human capital. Therefore, governments, businesses and other kinds of organisations must all assume a significant role. Equally important is how higher education and research institutions, including business schools, in collaboration with di erent stakeholders, must play a part. In fact, educational institutions are perceived by society as the most credible partners in such a vital endeavour, with the Edelman study showing that universities were rated the most trusted institution in virtually every country to “do what is right about climate change”. We need to continue to earn this trust by preparing future well-rounded leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs and agents of change. These leaders need knowledge, experience and acumen to adapt to a changing global environment. They need better practice in making complex judgments that trade o private and social costs and benefits, especially given that human influence and its associated actions are the primary reasons for the planet’s climate having changed at such an unprecedented rate. We must address the root causes and consequences of climate change while creating economic opportunities and contributing to sustainable development. If businesses must do this, then management education needs to rethink how it can reconfigure itself for the betterment of society. All business schools need to use the climate crisis to rethink their work, their research, their teaching and their engagement with the business community. How to make a real difference In the context of Africa, what can business schools do? How can they engage with di erent stakeholders in society? How can their voice be heard? Do their academic programme o erings address the climate topic? If so, is the content relevant to the regional
context? Do business schools have faculty trained to address those issues? This is just a sample of the questions that leaders of African business schools may address while framing their roles in dealing with issues ranging from decarbonisation and adaptation to loss and damage. It is clear that sustainability and climate-related concerns are already integral to the future of socially responsible management education in Africa and beyond. Historically, business schools have prided themselves on training leaders; today, we must support – and become – leaders in addressing climate change. This includes advocacy, which is vital to achieving our goals. Through their respective missions, strategic plans and objectives, business schools should reconfigure their academic e orts to influence policies and prepare the next generation of climate- savvy African leaders, o ering a new breed of climate leadership. However, a lot must first change for business schools to be actively engaged in such an opportune and, for some, existential conversation. Management education should o er degrees, specialised courses, research projects, student and learner-led associations and engagement in extracurricular activities in addition to seminars, forums and roundtables that can help raise awareness and build momentum about climate-related issues. Underpinning this activity, there must be rigorous research, so that the work is grounded in evidence and critical in spirit. The need to work together Business schools in Africa have many di erences but also share similarities and need a platform to facilitate working together, learning from each other, complementing their e orts to collectively address issues of common interest. These issues incorporate societal, economic, sustainability and environmental concerns. They will require us to adopt interdisciplinary approaches and innovative academic o erings, initiatives and practices. The ultimate objective is to ensure that leaders, entrepreneurs and policymakers, among other future movers and shakers in
28 | Ambition SEPTEMBER 2023
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online