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An MBA program in strategy can help managers think strategically, at all levels

Not long ago, an MBA degree was regarded by many people as a passport to a lucrative professional job in a field such as investment banking or strategy consulting. While many students still pursue these career paths, a growing portion of them are looking for purpose as well as profit in their jobs.  In fact, making a positive social or environmental impact has overtaken pay and other perks as the top reasons MBA students pursue their career, according to an often-cited survey by Bain & Company, which, ironically, is a consultancy firm.  Curriculum changes are underway as business schools respond to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) revolution. Schools have been criticized for their apparent role in the global financial crisis and for focusing too heavily on maximizing shareholder return. Today many top MBA programs include an impact-related module, such as impact investing or social entrepreneurship.  The career opportunities in this field have flourished. CSR was previously something many companies merely paid lip service to, but they are making “impact” a fundamental piece of their business plans. There are now 2,655 certified “B Corporations”, or firms that verify their high social and environmental performance, across 150 industries and 60 countries, including the ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s and the social media company Hootsuite.  Picking the right program, however, is crucial. So we’ve ranked the best MBAs for social or environmental impact, below. 

Despite the forced temporary shift to remote teaching prompted by coronavirus, MBA students are demanding more than ever in terms of teaching facilities. The pandemic has served to strengthen the importance of in-person interactions, and when students are at business schools they expect the very best facilities available.

Since the global financial crisis and diversification of MBA graduates’ career choices (as banks, the traditional preserve, cut back hiring), specialist MBA degrees have blossomed. Across Europe and to a latter extent the US, one area seeing a boom in demand is food and drink management. See a list of the best MBA programs in Wine Business Management here.