Graduating green

Progressive MBA program makes sustainability the bottom line
by Jacob Shafer

For a long time, the prevailing opinion in both the business community and the environmental movement seemed to be that the two sides were incompatible. You were either pro-bottom line or pro-preservation—but almost never both.

Things have changed. Resources, particularly fossil fuels, are growing ever scarcer; global climate change is threatening to fundamentally alter the face of the planet; old paradigms are shifting. And businesses are beginning to wake up to the reality that sustainable industry is the wave of the future, and those who don't ride it are going to drown.

It is with this spirit of environmentally conscious enterprise that the Green MBA program was created. The brainchild of John Stayton and Jane Lorand, founder of the nonprofit Institute for Environmental Entrepreneurship, the program first launched at Santa Rosa's New College of California in 2000 as an M.A., morphing into an MBA in 2002.

Now, it's moving with staff and curriculum intact to Dominican University in San Rafael, with the first slate of classes set to begin in the fall.

"We're extremely excited about [coming to Dominican]," says Stayton. "They've been so welcoming and accommodating thus far."

The move is something of a homecoming for Stayton, who earned an MBA in International Business from Dominican in 1995. He says that Dominican was an appealing destination for the program for a number of reasons, including the university's centralized location and its established status as a mainstream institution.

"I have nothing but good things to say about New College," Stayton adds emphatically. "But it felt like it was time for us to move on, and this feels like the right fit."

Stayton says that while the program will undoubtedly change and grow in its new home, it's coming to Marin fully formed, with a group of 12 faculty members and an educational philosophy that has gained a reputation for being dynamic, forward-thinking and effective.

Joey Shepp of Fairfax, a graduate of the program, offers a ringing endorsement.
"I was part of the third graduating class, so I had a huge opportunity to help shape the program," says Shepp. "It was amazing—small classes, great faculty and really self-directed."

Shepp has parlayed his educational experience into a career with a Web strategies firm called Earthsite (ww.earthsite.net ) that helps green businesses build and maintain an online presence. He's also founder of Green Maven (www.greenmaven.com ), which he describes as "the green Google." It's a search engine that highlights environmentally conscious Web sites—helping enviro types find everything from fair-trade coffee to organic socks.

Asked if green business is a growth industry, Shepp answers without hesitation. "What we're seeing is a new, modern environmentalism that's pro-business and pro-profit," he says. "Environmental problems can be seen as business opportunities, and I think more and more companies are realizing that to maybe sacrifice a little now is to grow for the future. This is a bright green market—one that's looking seven generations into the future."

Shepp is, of course, just one example of the many students who have used the Green MBA as a springboard. Stayton says graduates generally find jobs in three key areas: entrepreneurship, sustainability consulting and what he calls "intrapreneurship," working within established corporations to effect change from the inside out.

"Green MBA students are prepared for the modern workforce in a number of ways," says John Regatz, an adjunct faculty member who lives in Novato. "About half of our students go out and start their own companies. The other half end up working in a variety of fields—nonprofits, socially responsible companies. They bring new knowledge about how to reduce waste, find substitute materials, encourage recycling, provide living wages, reduce energy consumption. Their learning can help in the development of new products for the new era."

While he feels we have "reached a tipping point" in terms of environmental issues, Regatz emphasizes that hope, rather than gloom, should be the order of the day.

"[We teach] the concept of the 'triple bottom line'—that all business decisions need to consider economic profit, people and the planet," he says, adding that this doesn't necessarily mean giving up a high quality of life. "We are learning that environmentalism is not always about sacrifice. [Energy efficient] light bulbs are a good example. So are solar panels. So is wind energy. Adapting does not have to mean a lower standard of living."

Henry Wong of Sausalito, another adjunct professor, says that the Green MBA is different from other programs in that it approaches business with an entirely new philosophy.

"I teach corporate finance at UC Berkeley, but my course in the Green MBA program is called entrepreneurial finance—which is a completely different skill set and allows students to break free from traditional limitations and think outside the box to solve today's crucial business issues."

Wong agrees that green jobs are booming—and takes things a step further.
"There are many studies that show green jobs are on the rise," he says. "However, it's more important to note the upward trend in the 'greening' of business. In other words, all jobs will be green jobs eventually, as we re-think our roles in the business environment."

Sound idealistic? Perhaps, but it's also a refreshing antidote to the discourse one often hears regarding the future of enterprise and the planet—a maddening back-and-forth between head-in-the-sand deniers and pessimistic doomsayers.
With some predicting the impending collapse of life as we know it, it's nice to hear there's a growing movement that not only holds out hope for a bright tomorrow, but is developing a plan for how to get there.

"This is an exciting time for us," says Stayton, his enthusiasm apparent. "We're really on the edge of something that's already big, and is just going to continue growing. We've come a long way as a program, and there's still a long way to go."

To learn more about the Green MBA program, call the Dominican graduate admissions office at 888/323-6763 or visit
http://www.pacificsun.com/story.php?story_id=842