Everyone knows how tough the green job market is right now and it might take a while to find that perfect position. So the question is what do you do while you are waiting? You could consider another type of job, or do an internship but a number of your peers are also considering studying for a green MBA and other forms of sustainability education programs. The choices are increasing all the time and this is a good time to investigate this route in your career.
Investing in your education has always been a great option. In the gloom of the recession, I detect some light. Indeed, I feel that we might be at the dawn of a new era defined by a shift to “The Green Economy”. In the same way Franklin Roosevelt helped to lift the US out of the Depression with major investments in infrastructure and the military, it seems that President Obama believes that investment in Renewable Energy might have the same positive effect. His number one priority might be dealing with the current recession, yet he sees that the opportunity to build a new Green Economy checks many critical boxes for his new administration.
In theory, the Green Economy holds out the promise to create millions of new jobs, rebuild our infrastructure and bring us out of recession. The massive transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy could usher in a new age of prosperity, and create an industry far larger than information technology and the internet combined. President Elect Obama has promised to tackle the wide range of environmental problems we face, and has already delivered speeches pledging major new legislation to reduce carbon emissions.
Aside from the economic benefits, the Green Economy would enable us to become energy independent. There is a consensus across this country that the US can no longer depend on Foreign Oil, and political and military imperatives are contributing to the urgency for investment in Solar, Wind and Geothermal.
He will also be following his counterparts in Europe, where national and EU regulation and subsidies have driven much of the growth of the green sector. There is tremendous public support for change, founded on the almost universal acceptance that climate change is real. The Green Economy is not a Fad or the artifice of the progressive media. It is real, and it is what businesses and the public want. Increasingly, “Conscious Consumers” are voting with their dollars and large businesses like Wal-Mart are responding with extensive sustainability initiatives.
Our challenge is that the massive economic transition will not happen overnight, and the new Administration cannot be successful on its own. We need leaders across all sectors including government, non-profit, education and business. If we are to change our energy infrastructure, if we are to change our homes, our offices and our transport we will need to create millions of new green jobs. This will also require an unprecedented program of training and retraining in specific skills such as green building design, solar installation and energy efficiency.
Above all, we will need to develop new leaders. In a previous article I introduced the term “Bright Green Leaders”. They share a bright, positive vision of a green future where society has shifted from fossil fuels to renewable energy, and environmental protection is a top priority. Bright Green Leaders believe we can solve our environmental problems through innovation, design, creativity and the mobilization of people, finance and organizational resources. They dedicate their careers and towards leading their organizations, communities and families to a bright green future in both the private and public sectors.
Currently, there are very few of these leaders and there is a pressing need for a new type of education to provide many more. At many types of Sustainable MBA program across the globe, there is a push to train these leaders to build the Green Economy, and our mission at Bright Green is to educate Bright Green Leaders in the following core competences
How to Present the Business Case for Green
Managers and Executives will need to demonstrate the Green Advantage, and ensure their strategy for Corporate Social Responsibility incorporates specific benefits, such as how the business will reduce expenses and increase profits. The ethical case for sustainability is compelling, yet is insufficient without clear evidence of a return on investment. Bright Green leaders are still measured by the same metrics as every one else. They will enjoy the same financial, strategic and management capabilities as other MBA graduates, with the added specialist expertise of how to apply these capabilities to promoting sustainable and CSR practices to achieve competitive advantage for their organizations.
How to Innovate
Every business has the potential to go Green. There are obvious “short-term wins” like reducing energy use, car pooling or a recycling scheme. The broader, strategic opportunity lies in Innovation. What new sustainable products or services can we provide? How can we green our Supply Chain? How can we restructure our business model to reduce energy and create an authentic green brand?
Currently, the Auto Industry is being forced to confront these questions. There is pressure on the Big 3 to make more fuel-efficient cars if they want to be major players over the long-term.In contrast, Toyota has relentlessly pursued a strategy of Green Innovation over the last decade and their success, especially in comparison to GM and Ford, is clear.
Such case studies will form the basis of a good Green MBA program, and we will be compiling many more from every industry and every size of business.
How to Lead Change
Introducing Corporate Social Responsibility into a business requires much more than switching light bulbs or putting recycle bins in the canteen. Genuine change occurs when leaders create a vision, communicate values and help to change employee attitudes and behaviors. Green MBA programs need to focus strongly on change management, communication and employee engagement. At green business schools, we are harnessing our extensive experience in the field of coaching, consulting and organizational psychology. We are calling on the legacy of former teachers such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers to develop the interpersonal skills to bring about real change with all stakeholders.
Moreover, in the spirit of our tradition, it seems that a green MBA puts our graduates in a strong position to satisfy each of Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs. In the emerging Green Economy, our graduates will be better placed to satisfy their physiological and safety needs by enhancing their chances of finding a job and achieving job security. They will satisfy their Social needs by being part of a new movement of Green Leaders, and their Esteem needs through the recognition of their contribution both to profitability and the environment. Above all, they increase their potential for self-actualization. They will be engaging their values and their passion at work. They will no longer need to choose between the financial appeal of a business and the ethical appeal of a non-profit. With a Bright Green MBA they can have the best of both worlds, and achieving career success and personal fulfillment.