Oh, Great: Wharton And Other Business Schools Now Offering Environmental Focus For MBAs

Greenwash U - Now Open For Business!!!

In May, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business graduated its first cohort of MBA students with a new Environmental, Social and Governance major. The program came in response to the pressure climate change has placed on businesses and industries to grapple with related financial risks—and capitalize on the transition to renewable energy. Along with studying traditional Master’s of Business Administration subjects like marketing and finance, the 52 students also delved into topics such as water governance, carbon offsets and greenhouse gas emissions.

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But it’s not all about risk. The climate crisis presents plenty of growth opportunities for startups, (Ed. - Wharton Vice-Dean Witold) Henisz said. The Apples and Amazons of tomorrow could be green technology companies, and he hopes they will be staffed with Wharton graduates. “We’re not sure what they’re going to be, but this is clearly going to take innovation,” he said. “Some people are going to become fabulously wealthy and drive progress on climate transition.”

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Of course, not all of these jobs require an MBA, and many are highly technical. Lizzua noted that electricians and engineers are in particularly high demand today. However, every project needs finance teams, especially in the clean energy sector, where complex financing structures use debt, equity and government subsidies.

Energy is not the only industry hiring for ESG roles. Some MBA students also choose to pursue corporate sustainability careers in fields like manufacturing or retail. When Lizzua founded EnergeiaWorks in 2010, it was rare for companies to have dedicated sustainability teams. Today, nearly all Fortune 1000 companies do—and they’re actively hiring, he said.

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https://insideclimatenews.org/news/14082024/business-schools-training-for-climate-economy/