Corporate Knights, an organization focused on researching and promoting sustainable economic practices, has released its 2024 Better World MBA rankings highlighting MBA programs around the world for their commitment to teaching sustainability. The Kogod School of Business ranks fifth in the US and twelfth in the world on this list, placing it among the world’s leading institutions in preparing MBA students for careers that prioritize sustainability.  

The Better World MBA list, which Corporate Knights has released annually since 2010, scores MBA programs on the inclusion of all aspects of sustainability in their coursework, from environmental and climate considerations to the role of social issues in business settings. Consideration is also given to how many recent graduates from a program work in what Corporate Knights calls ‘impact organizations,’ including non-profits and companies that rank highly for sustainable practices.  

In the US, Kogod ranked highest among universities with a traditional, two-year MBA versus a sustainability-specific degree program, and finds itself in the top five among other top schools like Bard College, University of Vermont, Colorado State University. This year’s global Top 40 honorees represent the best in sustainability education around the world and include McGill University (Canada), University of Exeter Business School (United Kingdom), King’s College London (United Kingdom), University of Cape Town (South Africa), and others across 14 countries.  

Looking at Kogod’s history of teaching sustainability and the career outcomes Kogod MBAs achieve, it’s easy to see how the school ranked so highly. Yes, Kogod has a standout MS in Sustainability Management program, one of the only sustainability programs in the country housed within a business school. But Kogod students don’t have to specialize in sustainability to learn about it; courses on environmental, social, and governance topics are woven into each department, underscoring how these issues impact business at a global scale.  

Kogod's work in sustainability education is enhanced by the school’s expert faculty, many of whom came to academia after thriving careers in the public and private sectors. Several Kogod faculty have devoted their careers to research and work in sustainability, whether they’re studying the impact of climate change on business, questions of equity, accessibility and social justice, or the successes and failures of various ESG initiatives. Kogod MBAs thus complete their degrees with a well-developed understanding of how sustainability issues intersect with various facets of business. 

Adding to the MBA student experience, sustainability leaders from all sectors come to Kogod as part of the Gamechangers in Sustainability Speaker Series, which brings topics of sustainability in business to the forefront. Previous speakers include Marriott International CEO Anthony Capuano, Eat the Change founder Seth Goldman, and EY’s CEO Carmine Di Sibio, leaders whose insights help shine a light on the many future paths Kogod MBAs can take while keeping sustainability top of mind. One common thread at these events? The recognition that Kogod so often receives from these leaders for our leadership within the business education space on topics of such great import.  

After completing a rigorous MBA program with a core focus on sustainability, Kogod MBAs are ready to tackle some of the world’s greatest business challenges. MBA alumni have gone on to work in myriad roles, from the private sector to non-profits to government agencies. Though many graduates go on to work in places with a built-in focus on sustainability, others have instead woven what they’ve learned into their work in fields that have not always been so clearly focused on sustainability, such as investing and manufacturing. Regardless of where they end up, Kogod graduates use their degrees to make a difference in their work and further Kogod’s goal of using business as a force for meaningful change. 

Kogod’s commitment to sustainability is right at home within the larger American University community. AU made history in 2018 as the first university in the United States to achieve carbon neutrality and went a step further in 2020 by removing all fossil fuel investments from its endowment. The university’s dedicated Office of Sustainability provides resources to the university community on adopting green practices in all aspects of school life. Sustainability is a common thread throughout the university’s schools, and students have spearheaded efforts to promote waste reduction and environmental justice, revealing just how deeply the community cares about leaving the world better than they found it. 

The Corporate Knights Better World MBA ranking joins a strong portfolio of honors that Kogod has received for its work in sustainability. In 2023, Kogod was awarded the Page Grand Prize for excellence in sustainability education, joining previous award winners including Harvard, Duke, Cornell, and Northwestern. In the same year, Kogod ranked ninth on the Princeton Review’s Best Green MBA list for its role in preparing students for careers centered on sustainability. These accolades are indicators that others are taking note of what the Kogod community already knows—that business can and must be a tool to create a better world.