Find out how the research expertise of a business school and practical learning approach is helping business leaders succeed in the green economy
For the next generation of business leaders, success will depend not only on understanding the sustainability, but also on the development of the adaptive skills needed to lead in a changing economy.
We talked to UBC Sauder Business School experts to find out how practical research and teaching are preparing students for climate leadership.
Why do sustainability skills matter to future business managers
Sustainability is now an indispensable business, but many organizations still struggle to translate ambition into practical, financial strategies applicable with measurable results.
Kookai Chaimahawong, the executive director of the Center for Climate and Business Solutions at UBC Sauder, believes that businesses that approach sustainability as an opportunity than a challenge will have a clear advantage.
“Businesses are uniquely positioned to turn the climate crisis into a mass option. Including sustainability not only runs resistance, but also unlocks new income flows – whether by creating solutions for a changing climate or strengthening operations to withstand future risks, ”she says.
The center has launched a climate climate of the SMEs, equipping businesses to take a proactive approach to durability by identifying the hotspots of emissions through carbon accounting. These partnerships also provide UBC students practical experience in dealing with real -world climate issues.
“We connect students with companies through practical programs such as the SME climate clinic, LCA clinic for SMEs, and our soon marketing studios to begin for science-based enterprises and the transition finance fund,” Kookai says.
“These initiatives demonstrate our belief that every job is a climate work, equipping students to address the climate crisis regardless of their business specialization,” she adds.
Through the SME climate clinic, UBC students help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to measure and reduce their carbon emissions. SMEs often lack resources and expertise to implement comprehensive stability practices. UBC Sauder initiatives are created to overcome this gap, offering adapted support to help these businesses navigate climate -action complexities.
UBC students develop carbon accounting skills, emissions analysis and sustainability reporting that are becoming increasingly valuable as more companies set Neto-Zero targets.
The LCA Clinic for the SME is built in this by training students in life cycle assessments (LCA), a method used to measure the environmental impact of products and supply chains. During a two-day workshop, students learn to develop LCA models that help businesses improve their sustainability practices.
“The Academy and the industry should act as co-pilots in providing real climate solutions. The Academy provides the research, knowledge and pipeline of talent, while the industry applies this knowledge to the real -world environments, ”says Kookai.
“By scaling programs to support more companies and teach more students, we are creating a global plan for businesses to lead the road and that future talent is equipped to form a sustainable economy,” she adds.
UBC Sauder location in Vancouver – is constantly ranked as one of the world’s green cities – offering students direct exposure to a growing network of businesses that integrate sustainability into their operations. The city has long been a center for cleaning innovation and is home to one of the largest groups in the hydrogen industry and fuel cells.
How is business research the future of clean energy pure
Going to a greener economy is creating new opportunities, but also presents challenges that require fresh thoughts.
The power of the wind and the sun have made progress in reducing emissions, but industries such as transport, steel and cement production still need alternative solutions. Hydrogen is emerging as a promising option.
Dr. Werner Antweiler, an associate professor at UBC Sauder specialized in the environmental economy and energy markets, explains that early efforts to expand hydrogen fought to gain withdrawal due to high costs and lack of support policies.
“People have talked about hydrogen for 20 or 30 years, and they predicted that hydrogen could play a major role. But at that time, hydrogen was not ready-it was expensive, and there was no clear and convincing occasion for the transition to lower emission vehicles because we had no carbon subsidies or prices, so it did not rise. “
Today, improvements in hydrogen production and cheaper renewable energy are opening new opportunities, but the obstacles remain. Hydrogen is still expensive to produce, infrastructure is missing, and government support is needed for widespread use.
Research by Dr. Werner Antweiler at UBC Sauder examines these issues using a trade model, looking at factors such as transport costs, market competition and new technologies that may affect the future of hydrogen.
“Hydrogen has a tremendous potential to reshape energy markets. But making it lucrative requires coordinated efforts in government, industry and markets to reduce costs and build trade infrastructure, ”says Dr. Antweiler.
Cost is one of the biggest barriers to hydrogen expansion. Green hydrogen – the cleanest option, made using renewable energy – is still expensive compared to other alternatives.
The way of hydrogen trading will also be a determining factor in its future. Unlike fossil fuels, where countries are usually either exporters or importers, hydrogen can develop in a more flexible market where nations both buy and sell cost and availability.
For businesses to benefit from hydrogen, they will need to provide long -term contracts that ensure financial stability and reduce risk.
“Hydrogen will not function as the market for oil and gas points. Developers need customers guarantee for the years ahead, which is why long -term contracts are essential, ”he says.
How business leaders can run the green economy
The green economy needs innovators that can turn hydrogen into a real business opportunity. According to Dr. Antweiler, its success will depend on new technologies that reduce production costs and improve efficiency.
“We are seeing progress with cheaper solar energy, but we also need progress in electrolysis to make the green hydrogen applicable on the scale,” he says.
For future business executives, this means that opportunities will not only come from work in sustainability -centered companies, they will also go through industries that fit a low -carbon economy. In Canada alone, pure energy work is expected to grow by almost 50% by 2030.
“The climate economy is the economy of the future. My Tips: Find where your skills match high impact options. Business school offers tools to connect points – transforming ambition into action and ideas into scaled, profitable solutions, ”says Kookai.
While governments and industries work to address these climate issues, business leaders will become useful in attracting investment and long -term decision making. This is where business education offers a special advantage.
At UBC Sauder, MBA students can specialize in a climate career song that integrates sustainability into the essential business strategy. Whereas in the economic climate and strategy, the accounting and reporting of the ENG, the climate financing and the investment of impact provide the UBC Sauder students with the means to succeed in a developing industry.
“We are training the next generation of leaders to see climate solutions such as business solutions. The UBC Sauder MBA program, combined with the real -world projects of our center, prepares students to turn climate challenges into economic transformation engines,” Kookai concludes.