Business prof teaches sustainable practices

Stephanie Bertels teaches her students to go the extra mile when it comes to integrating sustainability into business practices.

An assistant professor of business, Bertels is teaching two undergraduate courses—Sustainable Innovation (BUS453) next spring and Managing for Sustainability (BUS489) next summer—along with an MBA class in sustainability.

“There’s more and more happening at the business school related to sustainability,” she says. “Our students have told us this is a priority and we are responding by creating more courses.”

“In my classes, I try to help students move beyond establishing the business case for sustainability. Instead, we focus on how to embed sustainability into organizational culture to support what organizations are already doing in the areas of innovation and operational excellence.”

“Sustainability does not need to be an add-on. In leading companies, it’s becoming a core part of business strategy.”

In the Faculty of Business, it’s also becoming a core part of curriculum development and research.

Bertels recently joined the CMA Centre for Strategic Change and Performance Measurement as a research fellow.

The centre is focused on the emerging topic of social innovation, including spurring novel solutions to complex social problems such as sustainability.

Says Bertels: “There’s a fantastic, dedicated crew of people here who are really trying to engage with the community to tackle real issues.”