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Local MBAs try to put business on a sustainable track

Students from the UCT Graduate School of Business (GSB) are taking part in a new global initiative by Unilever and Net Impact to inspire young leaders to lead much needed change in business.

Answering the global call for more sustainable business, the African chapter of Net Impact, a non-profit network headed by MBA students at the GSB, hosted one of a series of pilot events planned by Unilever, in association with Net Impact, to engage the next generation of business leaders and ingrain in them sustainable practice values.

“The study of more than 1 000 CEOs across the world shows that a clear majority, 67%, do not believe business is doing enough to address global sustainability challenges. The study draws the conclusion that the global economy is on the wrong track, and business is not playing its part in forging a sustainable future,” said Sue De Witt, chairperson of Net Impact South Africa.

The Unilever-Net Impact event, held at the GSB on 12 November 2013, gave the GSB the opportunity to showcase businesses and entrepreneurs who are successfully making sustainability part of their operations.

Speaking at the event, Woolworths head of sustainability, Justin Smith, said that taking a sustainable approach has quantifiable benefits.

Smith said that there are many reasons why a sustainability approach is so important, including the preservation of resources the company relies on such as energy and water. “There has been a large increase in international investment due to our stance on sustainability,” he said.

James Inglesby, Marketing Manager of Unilever Nigeria and co-founder and director at Clean Team Ghana Limited, said that in creating sustainable practice, it’s important to make sure the strategies are aligned with the broader businesses objectives.