Base ~ How to do business in the 21st century ~ 16-17 March 2010
ProLogis
The Role of the Business School in Building a Sustainable Future
Session time slot
  • Session WE3 | Wednesday 17 March | 12:00-12:45
Synopsis
Much of the literature surrounding the unsustainability of our current financial market and ecological systems has implicated the western business paradigm and the western business school in contributing to what Jared Diamond terms the time-bombs of the 21st Century. Knee jerk reactions to such criticism have led to the the introduction of the MBA Oath by Harvard and more and more publicised codes of ethics by businesses. Yet the higher question remains, is the business world, as it is currently configured actually free or able to do anything about sustainability and how can we develop businesses that have sustainability in their central focus rather than peripheral vision.

This session focusses on the role of the business school, that vital lynch-pin between business leaders, long since departed from full-time education, and the academic world, and the role it should play as both a partner and a leader of the sustainability agenda.

The session will be hosted by Alexandra Stubbings and Nicolas Ceasar from Ashridge Business School, who will draw on their Global Leaders of Tomorrow research and the recent application of IBM Jam technology to engage the wider business school community in a discussion around macro-trends and their implications for business education.
Themes
  • Education
  • Sustainable business
Mr Nicolas Ceasar
Head of Sustainability Consulting
Ashridge Consulting
Biography
Nicolas has spent the last ten years supporting groups and organisations to engage strategically and thoughtfully with the sustainability agenda, covering the broad areas of business ethics, risk management and climate change. He joined Ashridge in 2008 to head up the sustainability consulting practice and now works with large groups on a variety of complex issues ranging from peak oil, to community capacity building to ethical consumerism. He teaches on the MBA and a variety of other programmes.
Company activities
  • All
Company size
  • 10,000 and above
Job functions
  • All