While the past year has seen ethics become a particularly hot topic on the admissions end of the business school experience, it seems that social responsibility is a growing concern on the other end of the process. The Wall Street Journal’s College Journal recently published an interesting article about the growing demand for MBAs with backgrounds in this area – and the increasing ease of finding such candidates in the recruiting process. Meanwhile, individuals looking to work in a traditional business role while promoting corporate citizenship and social responsibility within the ranks of an organization find themselves in an ideal position to effect positive change:
M.B.A. graduates say their degree gives them greater credibility when they try to spread social responsibility throughout a company. Unlike many people who move into the corporate world from nonprofit organizations, M.B.A.s can speak the language of business and relate social responsibility to brand management, corporate strategy and financial analysis.
Aspiring MBAs who are seeking to develop these competencies by making social responsibility a priority in their school search will be interested in the latest edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes, a survey conducted by the Aspen Institute and World Resources Institute that aims to “spotlight innovative full-time MBA programs and faculty that lead the way in integrating issues of social and environmental stewardship into business school curricula and research.”
The aforementioned WSJ article focuses heavily on Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, which finished at #11 in this year’s ranking. The full text is available here.
