University of Wisconsin-Madison

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University of Wisconsin-Madison
Wisconsin School of Business

975 University Ave
Grainger Hall
Madison, WI 53706
United States

In the school's own words...

The Wisconsin School of Business continues to be a leader in the social and environmental responsibility area. Over the past two years, we have added classes, faculty and extracurricular activities in those areas.

One of the most important recent additions to the Wisconsin School of Business is a graduate Certificate in Business, Environment and Social Responsibility in conjunction with UW-Madison's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. The certificate is designed to provide knowledge and skills in strategically applying business principles to environmental and social challenges and to prepare students to systematically integrate sustainability issues into day-to-day management decision making.

A $40.5 million, four-story addition to Grainger Hall, home to the Wisconsin MBA, opened in fall 2008 and was built to meet or exceed LEED standards. Special features include no-net gain in storm-water runoff, high-efficiency building systems, use of recycled materials and incorporation of daylight into more than 90 percent of the new space.

Inside the classroom, students find social and environmental responsibility woven throughout the Wisconsin MBA curriculum. Students take an ethics course in their first year. Other sustainability-focused courses include social entrepreneurship, social marketing and environmental strategy and sustainability. Each of the 12 MBA career specializations has a unique curriculum and a unique way of addressing corporate social responsibility. For example, Entrepreneurship students have the opportunity to take courses in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Students in the Real Estate specialization benefit from classes in green building and green development. Students in the Risk Management and Insurance specialization conduct various sustainability risk management projects with firms to identify key risks that organizations face, including reputational risks.

Outside the classroom, students participate in the annual Burrill Business Plan Competition. Entries often focus on environmental and/or social responsibility. For example, last year a student team, Sky Vegetables, won first place and $10,000 for a business plan for soil-less hydroponic greenhouses on the rooftops of supermarkets. The competition includes a $1,000 Nelson Institute Green Entrepreneurial Venture Recognition award for the best green venture.

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.

We take seriously our charge to prepare students to be future leaders. If we are to be successful in this endeavor, we believe our students must understand how environmental and social responsibility is integral to the long-term success of a business. We seek to create this understanding by integrating the concept of sustainability into existing classes, developing new classes and programs that specifically address this issue and by exploring other innovative ways to address social and environmental responsibilities.