knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. By studying these dimensions systematically, we are able to translate sustainability from abstract discourse into measurable organisational change. “Our faculty research increasingly focuses on sustainability- related challenges, with a significant share aligned with the UN’s sustainable development goals. This research feeds directly into the classroom, where students work with tools such as ESG metrics, impact measurement frameworks and sustainable business models. Institutionally, we have also developed initiatives such as the UNESCO Chair in Anticipatory Leadership for Better & Innovative Futures and the Chair in Philanthropy & Impact Investment, which explore how businesses can generate both economic and social value. By integrating research, teaching and industry collaboration, sustainability becomes a discipline grounded in strategy and evidence.” Sandra Richez: “Sustainability is woven into the very fabric of EDHEC’s global MBA programme. ESG topics are integrated throughout the curriculum and complemented by dedicated courses in climate finance, CSR and sustainability that lay the groundwork for immersive case studies and live business cases. “These live business cases are where learning becomes action. Students tackle real challenges brought by partner company representatives, who remain actively involved throughout – joining regular team meetings and providing close follow-up on deliverables. The result is that businesses walk away with actionable, research-backed recommendations grounded in a global perspective. Students leave with something equally valuable: hands-on experience leading strategic, cross-functional sustainability projects, as well as the skills and confidence to perform to the best of their ability for future employers.” Adrian Buss: “The tight integration of sustainability topics into our mandatory core courses immediately highlights the relevance of the subject and guarantees that it is addressed with academic rigour. Indeed, addressing sustainability aspects in parallel with business topics forces students to recognise potential tensions and, more importantly, explore how firms can derive a competitive advantage from their sustainability strategy. This, in turn, translates into a superior financial performance. “The use of various case studies on the topic of sustainability and the challenges that they present further shifts the students’ learning from passive theory to active decision-making.” Today’s CEOs are expected to have a ‘political’ voice. How are you preparing students for the pressure of taking a stand on issues of social equity and environmental stewardship? Eva Guerra-Leal: “Leadership requires the ability to engage with complex social and environmental issues. Corporate decisions are closely scrutinised by employees, consumers and society at large; brands that are perceived to be ethical build a
“All this ESG learning culminates in the final projects presented to a jury of business executives and professors. These projects are not only designed to apply learning and build skills, but also to provide confidence and purpose, which we hope will enable our MBA students to make an impact far beyond the classroom.” How do you ensure sustainability in the curriculum is a rigorous business discipline rather than just a marketing buzzword? Nick Quinn: “Sustainability only means something if it is treated as a core part of the business that is measured, taken seriously and not just used as a marketing strapline. Across the programme, participants tackle real client briefs where they must connect ESG factors to core functions and then design solutions that can actually be implemented. Our assessments focus on whether they deliver something robust and feasible for the client, with industry feedback used to tighten thinking and execution. “Throughout the programme, candidates build self-awareness about their own values and blind spots; they start to handle sustainability with the same discipline and seriousness that they would apply to profit and cash flow, for example.” Eva Guerra-Leal: “For sustainability to be meaningful in business education, it must be embedded across all disciplines and approached with the same analytical rigour as finance or strategy. At EGADE we approach it through data, frameworks and outcomes, placing strong emphasis on measurement and evidence.
One example is our Sustainability Culture Index, which analyses how individuals, including students, professors and collaborators, understand and act on sustainability through dimensions such as
18 Ambition • ISSUE 2 • 2026
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