Center for Advancing Accounting

Integration of Business Sustainability Education into Business and Accounting Curricula

• In Event: Integrating ESG/Sustainability into the Curriculum

Abstract

Business sustainability dimensions of financial economic sustainability (ESP) and non-financial environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability performance are taking center stage in the global business environment. Business sustainability factors of performance, risks and disclosures are demanded by investors, required by regulators, and reported by businesses worldwide. In today’s business environment, multinational corporations are under scrutiny and profound pressure from investors, lawmakers, and regulators to improve their corporate governance and business sustainability. Business sustainability of focusing on multiple bottom line (MBL) of ESP and ESG performance is also gaining considerable attention. Investors demand (impact investing initiatives), regulators require (European Commission, 2016) and business organizations (more than 50,000 worldwide) report some dimensions of sustainability performance. Business schools worldwide play an important role in preparing the most ethical and competent future business leaders who understand corporate governance and business sustainability and conduct their business ethically.

The academic community are also taking a closer look at colleges and universities to find ways to hold these institutions more accountable for achieving their mission of providing higher education with relevant curriculum. One area that has recently received long-awaited attention is business sustainability. This study examines the integration of the business sustainability education into business and accounting curricula. We conduct our analyses in four stages. First, we review related literature on business sustainability. Second, we investigate the demand for business sustainability educational skills by reviewing job position description for business sustainability. Third, we examine the supply side of business sustainability education by investigating the website of large business colleges and accounting schools that are currently offering courses and programs in business sustainability. Finally, we make several suggestions in effectively integrating business sustainability education into business and accounting curricula. We expect to find that the demand for and interest in business sustainability education continue to grow, important topics in business sustainability education being integrated into accounting and business curricula and several methods of teaching with a keen focus on the module approach be developed. This study provides new insights and directions for universities that are offering or planning to offer business sustainability courses and/or programs.

Authors

• Zabihollah Rezaee, The University of Memphis

• Kenneth R. Lambert, The University of Memphis

• James Lukawtz, The University of Memphis