The Center is a resource for Cornell students interested in issues pertaining to business and sustainability, engaging students in these issues through various activities and research.
Curriculum – Sustainability literacy is at the core of the curriculum. Innovating on the topic for over two decades, Johnson has continued to lead in providing residential MBA students with an ever expanding, award-winning curriculum. Sustainability literacy is a practical understanding of strategic business decision-making in the context of social, environmental, and governance issues including how businesses can incorporate sustainability into their internal strategy.
Breadth: Starting with the class of 2027, students in the 2 year MBA program will be required to take 1.5 credits of sustainability courses, selecting from a broad, discipline-based selection of qualified options.
Depth: Students looking to specialize in sustainability have options to customize their coursework and extracurriculars to meet their interests and needs.
MBA students can apply to the SGE Fellows programs, including Environmental Finance and Impact Investing (EFII) for students interested in finance and sustainability, Sustainable Business (SB) for students interested in sustainability in any aspect of business, or the Semlitz Fellows program that brings together MBAs and PhD students or postdoctoral researchers.
Students can create a customized Immersion to build a unique path suited to their interests in sustainability.
Students looking for a general overview of sustainability issues may want to consider pursing the SGE Area of Focus.
Customized programs can be designed for executives.
Applied Learning – By participating in company-sponsored projects secured through the Center, students develop the critical thinking and analytical skills necessary to take on leadership roles in business, regardless of industry or functional area.
Careers – The Center works closely with the Johnson Career Management Center to provide the appropriate resources and support to students seeking careers that fall under the domain of sustainable global enterprise.
Student Organizations – The Center provides advice and guidance to several graduate and undergraduate student clubs and organizations around campus. Throughout the year we frequently collaborate with them on a variety of sustainability events and activities.
The knowledge I gained from researching and building the model for the SGE project sponsor was great preparation for my internship
Ina Gjika MS '22
The SGE curriculum was one of my most impactful and formative experiences at Johnson. Not only did it build a foundation for innovation, sustainability, and business, it also greatly advanced my teamwork and problem solving skills. It more than prepared me to take the next step in my career.
Austin Blais, MBA ‘20
One of the most important lessons I have learned at Johnson is to let go of trying to do what people expect you to do and focus on doing the things that are going to be highest impact for you personally. For me, SGE was one of those things.
