Varsity business courses should include sustainability studies: Experts

On Feb 12, SMU announced that business undergraduates will be able to take a second major in sustainability and learn about the issues within the sphere as well as what businesses can do to reduce their negative impacts on communities and the environment. SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business students will also be able to address the issue in the business sub-disciplines, including finance, operations, marketing and entrepreneurship, and graduate as “specialists in sustainability”. This is in line with the call by experts for business leaders to lead the way in promoting sustainability. SMU said students enrolling in the sustainability major will develop “a deep understanding of the challenges the world is facing as well as learn how to integrate sustainability initiatives in the management of a business.” Mr Paul Heng, managing director of NeXT Career Consulting Group said SMU’s programme is timely, adding that there is a growing need for students who are “equipped to champion sustainability efforts.”