Center for Sustainable Business | Graduate

Specialization in Sustainable Business

At a time of indisputable societal and environmental change, students specializing in Sustainable Business and Innovation will examine the unique role of the private sector and gain a broad understanding of how embedding sustainability into core business strategy benefits financial performance and management practices. The specialization provides students with the knowledge and skills needed to create economic value in tandem with social and environmental value at their current and future employers. Students will develop a mindset for proactive citizenship and an expertise in today’s most pressing global issues, increasing their academic and professional competitiveness and positioning themselves at the forefront of thought leadership on the future of business.

About the Specialization

Through enrollment in the Sustainable Business and Innovation Specialization, students will:

• Experience a 360-degree education both inside and outside of the classroom through engaging teachings and mentorship from professors with highly developed thought leadership and practical experience; guest talks by experts from the field; meaningful discussions, debates, and collaborations with classmates; experiential learning opportunities in the form of hands-on projects, case studies, and consulting relationships with external organizations
• Position themselves at the forefront of thought leadership on the future of business, developing fluency on current and future trends and concepts involving new economic models for capitalism, the effects of globalization on communities and markets, social entrepreneurship, aligning impact with financial performance, monetizing sustainability initiatives, corporate strategy and innovation, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, cross-sector partnerships, and impact measurement
• Develop a mindset for proactive citizenship and leadership through experiential learning with external organizations, collaborative learning through group work, and practicing changemaker skills such as systems thinking, stakeholder mapping and management, and inclusive decision making
• Increase professional competitiveness and employability by understanding the challenges to society and business today paired with the corresponding opportunities for competitive advantage, and how to pursue those opportunities by effectively embedding sustainability throughout business models from supply chain management to brand marketing
• Develop critical foundational expertise in today’s most pressing global environmental, social, and economic issues related to topics such as climate change, energy, food production and access, inequality, human rights, public health, education, and more

To see Specialization requirements and full list of courses, click here.

 

25+ Courses in Sustainable Business

The Business and Society Program, in conjunction with other departments, offers courses focused on the role of business in social and environmental change that students may enroll in as part of the Specialization or simply as electives. Highlighted courses:

• Sustainability for Competitive Advantage (BSPA-GB.2305)
• Accounting for Sustainability (ACCT-GB.3124)
• A Financial Approach to Climate Change (FINC-GB.3147)
• Doing Business in Copenhagen: Regenerative Sustainability (DBIN-GB.3122)
• Social Enterprise in Sustainable Food Business (BSPA-GB.2306)
• See full list of courses in Albert (filter by course codes that start with "BSPA") or on the Specialization page

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Experiential Learning and Co-Curricular Opportunities

• Stern Signature Projects (SSPs) give students the opportunity to work with faculty to address some of the most pressing global issues of the 21st century. In Spring 2019, CSB led an SSP on circular economy with BMW.
• Case Competitions such as the Sustainable Business Pitch competition, sponsored by Eddie Stern, addressing the decarbonization of NYC's built environment through PACE loans
• Events on topics ranging from ESG and impact investing to social inequality to climate and food systems. Recent speakers have included business leaders from Bird Electric Scooters, charity: water, Goldman Sachs, KIND Snacks, Nuveen, and SUBWAY.
• Research Fellow opportunities at CSB. Past topics have included closing the loop on fashion, valuing worker well-being in the apparel supply chain, and financial benefits of green forest certification.
• Graduate student clubs such as the Social Impact and Sustainability Association and the Stern Energy & Infrastructure Club
• The NYU Impact Investment Fund (NIIF), developed as a joint venture between the faculty and students of NYU Stern, Wagner, and Law schools, supports student investors targeting social enterprises in the sectors of financial inclusion, environment, healthcare, aging, education, and food systems

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Executive MBA Program

Through the EMBA program at NYU Stern, professionals may specialize in Sustainable Business and Innovation and choose from 15+ electives as well as experiential learning opportunities abroad. Candidates earn their degree in 22 months with classes held every other week, on Fridays and Saturdays.
Learn more.

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For a Stern Signature Project (SSP) in Spring 2019, MBA students worked with BMW on their circular economy strategy.