Chartered ABS Business Schools and Sustainability Report

The Chartered Association of Business Schools has published its first ever report examining sustainability practices within UK business schools, finding that sustainability is a high priority across the sector.

The research explores how business schools define and approach sustainability, as well as the relationship between business schools and their parent universities on this issue.

Sustainability is a key priority for business schools

When asked to define sustainability, many business school deans aligned their definitions with UN frameworks, 82% of the respondents reported that their business school organises its sustainability activities around the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting very strong engagement across the sector with this initiative.

Addressing sustainability is clearly a high priority for business schools. While 94% are operationalising sustainability practices set by their central university, 54% have developed their own independent sustainability plan.

Sustainability is embedded within schools' internal structures through dedicated goals, committees, leadership roles, and targeted interventions to reduce environmental and societal impact. Almost three-quarters of respondents indicated that their school has a sustainability committee or working group and a dedicated sustainability leadership role, while 59% have sustainability targets or KPIs in place.

Sustainability in education and research

A strong emphasis is placed on embedding sustainability into teaching and research. 76% of schools have extensively embedded sustainability into their curriculum, and all respondents reported offering specialist sustainability modules.

Over three-quarters offered a sustainability research centre or group, and over two-thirds offered a specialist sustainability programme or an Executive Education course with sustainability content.

Looking ahead

Looking to the future, all respondents agreed that teaching and education, and research and knowledge exchange, should be prioritised to increase sustainability impact.

More specifically, 91% and 88% respectively considered these a high priority.

Additionally, 82% and 91% of schools indicated that executive education and operational activities should be prioritised to a moderate to high extent, with more than half considering these a high priority.

Professor Stewart Robinson, Chair of the Chartered Association of Business Schools, said:

"This report clearly demonstrates that sustainability is a key priority for our business schools. As anchor institutions in their local economies, business schools recognise their wider role in society and their unique responsibility in equipping the next generation of business leaders with the knowledge, tools, and mindset to address the sustainability challenges we face."

The survey was circulated between December 2024 and March 2025 and responses were received from Deans representing 35 member institutions of the Chartered ABS.

Read the full report here.