In 1998, the World Resources Institute (WRI) published Grey Pinstripes with Green Ties, a report that examined how 37 different Masters of Business Administration (MBA) programmes include topics on environmental management. The following year, WRI partnered with the Aspen Institute to expand the report by examining how MBA programmes address issues of social impact management. This led to the creation of Beyond Grey Pinstripes.
Over time, Beyond Grey Pinstripes has grown. It is now used by tens of thousands of students, academics, and corporations. Beyond Grey Pinstripes is a biennial survey and ranking of business schools, focusing on innovative full-time MBA programmes and faculty that lead the way in integrating issues of social and environmental stewardship into business school curricula and research. These programmes and pioneering faculty are preparing students for the reality of tomorrow’s markets, equipping them with an understanding of social, environmental, and economic perspectives required for business success in a competitive global economy. The current website contains detailed information on more than 130 global MBA programmes.
This survey allows prospective and current students, faculty, and administrators to compare best practices. For corporate recruiters and human resource executives, the results help to identify the MBA programmes that produce well-rounded graduates who can lead business in the 21st century.
The survey promotes and celebrates innovation in business education and recognizes faculty pioneers. It does so through rankings of MBA programs and Faculty Pioneer Awards, which call attention to the specific institutions and individuals that do this work well. The survey also informs prospective students about environmental and social impact management programmes in the different programmes that they might consider. It also informs corporate recruiters regarding which business schools are providing integrated training in social and environmental skills as part of business decisionmaking. As such the survey seeks to set a higher standard for MBA programmes by challenging business schools to incorporate social and environmental impact management topics into their curricula. Finally, the survey facilitates conversation and dissemination of best practices in teaching, research, and extracurricular activities. The website’s search function on the website provides access to information (often including syllabi) on thousands of courses, journal articles, and more.
For more information, see http://www.beyondgreypinstripes.org/index.cfm