Welcome to the 2019 Cohort of Duquesne University’s MBA-Sustainable Business Practices program! Congratulations on taking this next step to further your career and enhance your skillset. This next year will give you great opportunities to expand your professional acumen while identifying areas to integrate sustainability into everyday business area. I believe that the value proposition with sustainability lies in its ability to provide a framework for process improvement. Similar to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or Total Quality Management (TQM); sustainability is a change-agent that helps drive best practices. It is not important if someone isn’t concerned with the following three pillars; environmental, social and financial. If done correctly sustainability will become the “new normal”. Businesses are turning to sustainable business practices not because of their environmental impact, although there is that, but also that it is something that makes the most financial sense. The CEO, Laurence D. Fink, of the largest investment firm, Blackrock, recently announced that any companies that do not contribute responsibly to society will no longer get the firm’s support. Fink’s rationale is simple, companies that act more responsibly towards the environment and society tend to have better financial results. This is sustainability’s value proposition. The idea that maximizing financial results, while at the same time minimizing any environmental/societal externalities, do not need to be mutually exclusive.
This program will give you the tools to be successful as you identify what sustainable business practices means to you. You will walk away from the program having gained a much greater level of business knowledge and feel confident with making high-level strategic decisions. I encourage you to get involved early on; join Net Impact, network, look for ways to integrate sustainability into your daily lives if you haven’t already done so, etc. I believe it is critical to maximize every opportunity provided in this program; career workshops, executive speaker series, career fairs, networking events corporate tours, international trip etc. Good luck!
– Tyler Chaffo
Class of 2018 Duquesne University MBA-SBP
One-Year MBA 