Incorporating sustainability into INSEAD MBA curriculum reinforces the school’s position as a pioneer in sustainable business education
INSEAD Professors Andre Calmon and Jackie Stenson have been named Grand Prize Winners of the Page Prize for Excellence in Sustainable Business Education. This is the first time in the prize’s 11-year history that INSEAD has won the prestigious competition.
The winning submission entitled “Building a Sustainable Future: Business Model Innovation as a Force for Good” received accolades for its innovative approach. The submission contains material developed for two INSEAD courses – Business Sustainability and the SDG Bootcamp.
These courses enable students to analyse, improve and create innovative business models that are more profitable and sustainable. The SDG Bootcamp received specific praise. This self-directed and intense workshop focuses on problem framing, ideation and prototyping. It empowers students by giving them a toolkit to address critical real-world problems, in line with action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Andre Calmon, Assistant Professor of Technology and Operations Management and the Patrick and Valentine Firmenich Fellow for Business and Society at INSEAD, says, “The award winning course uses a new teaching approach that engages students as agents of change and empowers them to design and scale sustainable, profitable businesses. Ultimately, we dispel the myth that profits are incompatible with positive social and environmental impact. The creativity and diversity of INSEAD students is amazing, and our sustainability courses are an outlet to develop entrepreneurial and innovative sustainability solutions. It is inspiring to see what our students and alumni create.“
Ilian Mihov, Dean of INSEAD and the Academic Director of the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society, says: “The world faces complex global challenges that require new ways of thinking and doing business. Teaching MBA students to integrate sustainability in business models provides insights and skills that deliver value to businesses, communities, and the planet. This is a crucial skill set for today’s leaders and an important component of our MBA curriculum.”
Katell Le Goulven, Executive Director of the Hoffmann Institute, adds, “Bringing sustainability into our teaching is part of what the Hoffmann Institute supports and seeks to activate at INSEAD. We are proud of how our faculty are bringing sustainability into the classroom and accompanying students to learn through creative experience to design ventures that contribute to societal progress. For the world to move faster towards a new, sustainable development model, INSEAD works to equip its graduates to lead the way.”
The Page Prize for Sustainability is awarded by the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business. It recognises and encourages innovative teaching of sustainability in business school curriculums around the world. This year’s runner-ups included submissions from Harvard Business School, University of Michigan, and University of North Carolina.
Andre Calmon is INSEAD Assistant Professor of Technology and Operations Management. His research and teaching focuses on the relationship between operations management, analytics, business model innovation, and sustainability. Professor Calmon has won the INSEAD MBA Best Teacher Award and has received the Dean's Commendation for Excellence in MBA Teaching multiple times.
Adjunct Professor Jackie Stenson is co-founder and CEO of Essmart, a last-mile distribution company for essential technologies, such as solar lighting, efficient cooking appliances and improved agricultural tools based in India. Jackie is also one of the creators of the curriculum for UNLEASH, a global innovation lab.
The INSEAD professors won the award along with David Drake, Assistant Professor of Strategy, Entrepreneurship and Operations at the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
For more information on the Page Prize, please visit www.moore.sc.edu/pageprize.
