Wisconsin-Madison, University of School of Business

The Business School at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has added a number of classes over the last three years to help prepare MBA students for the challenge of operating a business in a sustainable manner. We have also added key faculty (Ann Terlaak who comes to us with a background in Environmental Management and Tom Eggert who splits time between the Business School and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources). In addition, we are developing expertise in environmental risk management, and many faculty are addressing areas related to social and environmental responsibility in accounting, strategy, risk and quality.

The Business School has also brought in a number of prominent speakers to speak to the university community on subjects relating to the social and environmental responsibilities of business. A student group grew out of our Environmental Strategy and Sustainability class that is dedicated to advancing the idea that businesses can and should operate in a sustainable manner and a Net Impact chapter has been created.

The Business School has also expanded its relationship with the Gaylord Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies by cross-listing three new business courses in the Institute's selection of courses. The mix of business and IES students in classes offers a diversity of perspectives and viewpoints that makes for an exciting learning environment.

Faculty from the Business School and other schools on campus participate in an informal faculty environmental roundtable every other Tuesday morning during the school year. Virtually all participants are adjunct faculty in the Institute for Environmental Studies. This roundtable was organized by William Cronon, the Fredrick Jackson Turner Professor of Environmental History. In addition, several business school professors have drawn on the rich tradition of the UW-Madison in environmental knowledge and expertise, and invited non-business professors to make guest presentations in School of Business courses.

Many of our professors make good use of the expertise in the business community by bringing senior managers in to talk to their classes about such things as "The Role of Heart in Running a Business" and "What Systems Thinking Means for Sustainability". In addition, the Business School continues to work with potential funders on expanding our commitment to sustainability by broadening the class options for students.

Wisconsin has a rich history in the area of social responsibility. It was one of three founders of the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, the country�s first cooperative equal educational opportunity graduate fellowship program for minorities. It created the first graduate program in the country in a variety of fields, including applied security analysis and arts administration and in recent years has created highly focused MBA program based on career specializations ranging from corporate finance to marketing research.