PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
students are encouraged to reflect on their individual goals and purpose, while acknowledging the inter‑connectedness of the individual, organisation, industry, economy and environment/ nature (related to SDG17, or creating global partnerships to realise the goals). The overall aim is to broaden and deepen the impact that our students can have by taking a multi-stakeholder, systemic approach. By engaging with partners, non-profits and alumni, we can encourage change, while supporting key contributions to the SDGs and sustainability in general. Through these relationships, we can also equip students with the tools needed to take learning back into their businesses. Connecting purpose with the SDGs One of our approach’s primary aspirations is to help students connect the purpose of their organisation with the SDGs, so they can achieve their sustainability goals. Central to this is the Management Research Challenge (MRC) project. The MRC is an evidence-based, applied project carried out towards the end of the MBA programme. Students conduct research (generally small-scale qualitative or quantitative studies), analyse relevant literature (academic, practitioner/professional, industry and sector-based) and explore best practice. Findings are then analysed, with conclusions drawn and recommendations made for their organisation. Students are also asked to present their reflections on the learning gained from both the MRC and MBA programme as a whole. Many of the topics chosen for the MRC align with the SDGs, addressing goals relating to human welfare and societal development, as well as those regarding climate and the environment. A recent example includes a project on gender equality, relating to SDG5. In this study, the student explored the impact of board-level female representation on the career advancement of other women in traditionally male-dominated industries. The study then identified some of the structural, cultural and psychological barriers that exist for female professionals. Another MRC project, around the area of growth, brought SDG8 into focus by integrating ESG measures into investment funds, using the transformative potential of fintech to accelerate this process. An additional project examined sustainable practices in a student’s organisation during their time on the programme. By focusing on perceptions of sustainability within the organisation and deepening learning in real time, the student was able to analyse how they could create a credible, sustainable energy brand aligning with SDG12, which highlights the area of responsible consumption and production. These are just a few examples of how our students have turned interests and ideals into plans for tangible business success, while also addressing the SDGs. What each of the projects have in common is that the strategies and goals set were authentic, credible and built on best practice. Without these fundamentals, embedding sustainability within an organisation or effecting real change with a fledgling idea will continue to be an uphill struggle.
BIOGRAPHY
Anne Dibley is a professor of strategic marketing at Henley Business School. Since joining Henley in 2010, she has held several teaching and learning leadership positions and is currently head of post-experience and apprenticeship programmes. Dibley’s academic career began as course director for the international marketing programme at the University of Greenwich; she then became a teaching fellow at Cranfield School of Management, where she completed her PhD
Ambition • ISSUE 1 • 2026 35
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