A Program for New Sustainability Professionals

THE MASTER IN SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT, A NEW EXECUTIVE PROGRAM AT SDA BOCCONI, IS DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE WHO WILL MANAGE ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX AND INESCAPABLE CHALLENGES FOR COMPANIES, AND WILL TAKE PLACE ON THE WORLD'S MOST SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS ACCORDING TO THE FINANCIAL TIMES

Training leaders capable of tackling complex environmental and social challenges through innovative and sustainable strategies is the goal for which SDA Bocconi's new Master's in Sustainability Management (MSM) has been designed, and which will be officially presented today, March 6, at 6 p.m. The event will be hosted by Francesco Perrini, Matteo Di Castelnuovo, Enzo Baglieri, Sylvie Goulard for SDA Bocconi, Aram Mbow, founder of Innovamey and president of Janghi Onlus, Chiara Murano, Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility manager and EMBA Alumna.
 
The economy and environmental sustainability are now inextricably linked. In the United States, for example, the Inflation Reduction Act provides a $1 billion fund to help companies replace polluting vehicles with zero-emission ones and includes grants for training employees to maintain them. In the United Kingdom, roles focused on sustainability and environmentally friendly activities now make up one-third of job postings on LinkedIn. The European Commission has adopted a series of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, transport and taxation policies suitable for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Within this framework, all issues related to environmental sustainability are thus set to become an essential part of management skills.
 
“Becoming sustainable requires the ability to foster far-reaching business transformations, which in turn rely on the ability to integrate different skills and competencies,” explains Francesco Perrini, Academic Director of the MSM program and Associate Dean for Sustainability at SDA Bocconi. “Integrating sustainability into organizations is a complex journey that requires change at multiple levels. Sustainability is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses in today's world.”
 
According to Enzo Baglieri, Associate Dean for Master Division at SDA Bocconi, “We firmly believe in the value that sustainability can create, and we are committed to helping create a generation of young leaders who know how to manage business successfully and with a sense of responsibility towards people, towards the resources of our planet and towards society in general."
 
The Master in Sustainability Management provides an interdisciplinary approach that integrates management, economics, environmental and social sciences to prepare managers to lead organizations toward a more sustainable future. The program focuses on crucial topics such as sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, circular economy, environmental governance and more. It is aimed at candidates in the early stage of their professional development, with about two to three years of work experience, who have strong technical skills and feel the desire to grow as managers in a sustainable perspective.
 
The MSM is the latest in a series of programs in sustainability at Bocconi that started more than 20 years ago. “For Bocconi,” Perrini adds, “sustainability is a basic value, a strategic choice that is definitely not only about teaching and research: SDA Bocconi is housed in the world’s most sustainable campus according to the Financial Times rankings.”
 
For Matteo Di Castelnuovo, program director, “The MSM provides a unique opportunity to learn and engage with professionals, academics and innovators who have been working on these issues for more than two decades and are at the forefront of their field."
 
The program consists of more than 400 hours, and upon completion of preparatory and compulsory courses, students will choose one of three tracks: Sustainable Energy Transition, Sustainable Management and Strategies, and Sustainable and Climate Finance.
 
The MSM program will start in March, 2025 for 12 months full time with 66 ECTS credits. Registration is open and will close on January 13, 2025.
 

by Andrea Costa