SUSTAINABILITY
noting a transformative impact on his perspective regarding the role of students in managing responsibly: “Students can champion this long-term value creation for all stakeholders by staying informed, leading campus initiatives, choosing ESG‑focused careers and promoting sustainable innovation and ESG initiatives in their workplace.” This outlook has given the school further impetus to instil such agency across our entire student body by developing a similar core module on our sustainability leadership MSc. Beyond learning about SDGs, the module encourages students to witness the fruits of their own responsible actions. Another EMBA student, Sinead Byrne, comments: “Our work in this module has helped equip companies with the practical skills and innovative approaches needed for sustainable development. By integrating our recommendations, companies can enhance their problem-solving capabilities, drive continuous improvement and foster a culture of sustainability.” Many of the industry partners involved in the module have made significant changes to their strategy and operations following students’ evaluations. This has, in turn, bolstered the credibility and dissemination of students’ work. For example, Galway-based logistics firm O’Toole Transport has begun to develop a dedicated ESG strategy underpinned by tacit suggestions that were co-created with students. Change begins with agency Beyond addressing all of the PRME’s tenets, the unique value of this project is its support of the role of students in stewarding a new generation of responsible business. In this, students act not as atomised agents but as partners exchanging knowledge around effective strategies for change. As the dean of JE Cairnes School of Business & Economics Alma McCarthy puts it: “MBA teaching can make a real difference. This innovative partnership has brought about meaningful and practical sustainability roadmaps across public, private and third sectors.” In Ireland, there is currently a lack of ownership around finding effective ways of supporting SMEs and non-profits to operationalise the SDGs. While Enterprise Ireland has begun to address the issue and Chambers Ireland has developed an SDG toolkit, uptake has been negligible and funding sparse. Innovative learning can drive sustainable development in an actionable way for both students and industry partners. In effect, we are transferring our learning by teaching our industry partners how to be more responsible, alleviating the common SME obstacles of ‘where?’, ‘how?’ and ‘with whom?’ This two-way process of learning by doing is groundbreaking in an Irish context. Students act as responsible citizens, learners, knowledge brokers and problem solvers, helping to shape the country’s national agenda. The module’s andragogical and heutagogical [ie relating to self-directed adult learning] approach, meanwhile, provides a unique opportunity for students to claim autonomy and confidence while catalysing SDG-driven action among SMEs and non-profits.
topics. This means that students complete the bulk of their research without the tools required to integrate the SDGs into core subjects, such as management and strategy. The responsible management module at Galway seeks to respond to this deficit. It partners student groups with small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-profit organisations across various industries, all of which are affiliated with Chambers Ireland – the country’s largest business network. Together, they conduct an SDG screening-and-recommendation exercise that combines Chambers Ireland’s SDG toolkit with an innovative and more detailed guidance document developed specifically for the module. The exercise immerses students in responsible management theory and exposes them to mandatory environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting frameworks, such as the aforementioned CSRD. In so doing, students are equipped with a philosophical and practical foundation on which they can apply their knowledge and share their expertise with industry partners and their own employers. The aim is to foster a holistic understanding of responsible business and hone students’ analytical skills, while connecting their practical and academic knowledge with partners’ sustainable and responsible practices. Student groups meet with their pre‑assigned industry partners and conduct a stakeholder analysis and materiality assessment over the course of a term. These must be both contextually relevant to the organisation and cognisant of the wider role of business in society. Students then present findings and recommendations to their partners, outlining quick wins, as well as transformative changes that may be needed. Potential collaborators are identified and a communications plan is devised for the organisation. Student and industry impact The module’s action-based learning has received excellent student feedback, with Michael Gallagher, a current executive MBA student,
BIOGRAPHY
Dr Johanna Clancy is an assistant professor in business enterprise at JE Cairnes School of Business & Economics, University of Galway, where she leads the school’s commitment to the United Nations’ PRME. Clancy recently received the University President’s Awards for Teaching Excellence and Societal Impact at Galway University
Ambition | SEPTEMBER 2024 | 17
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online