Developing a curriculum that embraces innovation in sustainability involves understanding adaptations made by other colleges. Analyzing how degree programs are developed within Ivy League, state, local, and international campus, we become familiar with foundational courses and concentrations. Preparing students to take active roles as solution-centered executives is our opportunity to develop leaders who love the natural world. For the sake of environmental stewardship, we can foster sustainability leaders who are focused on circularity and the preservation of resources. Building a Sustainability Leadership paradigm at Le Moyne college involves utilizing assets and resources from multiple departments. A business-science curriculum integrates staff, studies, and students. This enmeshment provides a business advantage rooted in innovation and entrepreneurship.
By identifying the resources necessary to build Sustainability Leadership programs, we can compare which resources we have available and our deficits. Once we form our foundation, we can begin to ascertain which faculty can deliver specific concentrations: renewable energy, water resources, agriculture, green building practices, etc.
Abstract
Good faith efforts to build leaders who are focused on the triple bottom line will take more than a public relations intention. With increasing cynicism and greenwashing concerns, institutions, industries, and capital markets must establish Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals when instituting a vision of sustainability. The generational concern of consumerism and its effect on our planet is leading the shift to a sustainability paradigm. As we guide our students in good conscience to focus on creating goals that acknowledge the significant impact of business on “People, Planet, and Profits'', we must also provide the interdisciplinary educational roadmap infusing sustainability leadership models with concentrations developed to prepare our future leaders.
This publication analyzed Sustainability programs designed by Ivy League, State, National, and European universities, and proposed complimentary programs at Le Moyne that integrate business leadership with the STEM curriculum. The analysis of programs at Cornell University, SUNY ESF, Arizona State University, University of Oregon, University of Vermont, Harvard Business School Online, Stanford University, and Esade Ramon Llull University, form the hypothesis of a model Sustainability program that blends the ecological sciences studies with leadership tools. By dissecting programs designed by these educational leaders, we can build our own program which emphasizes incorporating purpose and solution-centered focus with the promise of “Greatness meets Goodness” (Le Moyne College, 2021).