Find out how the research expertise of a business school and a practical approach to learning help business leaders to succeed in the green economy
For the next generation of business leaders, success will depend not only on the understanding of sustainability, but also on the development of the adaptive skills necessary to lead in a changing economy.
We talked to experts from UBC Sauder business school To find out how practical research and learning prepare students for climate leadership.
Why sustainability skills are important for future business leaders
Sustainability is now a commercial imperative, but a lot Organizations are still struggling to translate ambition into practical and financially viable strategies with measurable results.
Kookai Chaimahawong, Executive Director of the Center for Climate and Business Solutions at UBC Sauder, believes that companies that approach sustainability as an opportunity rather than a challenge will have a clear advantage.
“Companies are only well placed to transform the climate crisis into a massive opportunity. The integration of sustainability stimulates not only resilience, but also unlocks new sources of income, whether by creating solutions for a changing climate or by strengthening operations to resist future risks, “she said.
The center has launched a PME climate clinic, equipping companies to adopt a proactive durability approach by identifying the hot spots of emissions via carbon accounting. These partnerships also provide UBC students with practical experience to tackle the real world’s climatic problems.
“We connect students with companies through practical programs such as the PME Climate Clinic, the clinic for SMEs for SMEs and our marketing studio which will soon be launched for business and transition funds based on science,” explains Kookai.
“These initiatives demonstrate our conviction that each job is climate work, which is equivalent to students to fight against the climate crisis, regardless of their commercial specialization,” she adds.
Thanks to the PME Climate Climate, UBC students help small and medium -sized enterprises (SMEs) to measure and reduce their carbon emissions. SMEs often lack resources and expertise to implement complete sustainability practices. UBC Sauder’s initiatives are designed to fill this gap, offering tailor -made support to help these companies navigate in the complexities of climate action.
UBC students are developing skills in carbon accounting, emissions analysis and in connection with sustainability – axes that become more and more precious as more and more companies set zero net objectives.
The LCA clinic for SMEs is based on this by forming 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 companies improve their sustainability practices.
“The academic world and industry must act as co -pilotes to provide real climatic solutions. The academic world provides research, knowledge and talent pipeline, while industry applies these ideas in real contexts, ”explains Kookai.
“By expanding programs to support more companies and teach more students, we create a global plan for companies to open the way and to make future talents are equipped to shape a sustainable economy,” she adds.
The location of UBC Sauder in Vancouver – is always classified as one of the greenest cities in the world – students have direct exhibition to a growing network of companies incorporating sustainability into their operations. The city has long been a center clean cleanliness Innovation and houses one of the largest clusters in the hydrogen and fuel battery industry in the world.
How commercial research leads the future of clean energy
The transition to a greener economy creates new opportunities but also presents challenges that call for new reflection.
Wind and solar energy have progressed in the reduction of emissions, but industries such as transport, steel and cement manufacturing still need alternative solutions. Hydrogen emerges as a promising option.
Dr. Werner Antweiler, an associate professor at the UBC Sauder specializing in the environmental economy and the energy markets, explains that the first efforts to extend hydrogen had trouble gaining ground due to high costs and a lack of support policies.
“People are talking about hydrogen for 20 or 30 years, and they imagined that hydrogen could play a disproportionate role. But at the time, hydrogen was not ready – it was expensive, and there was no clear and convincing cases for the transition to low -emission vehicles because we did not have the grants or carbon prices, so that did not take off. “”
Today, improvements in hydrogen production and cheaper renewable energies are opening up new possibilities, but obstacles stay. Hydrogen is always expensive to produce, infrastructure is lacking and government support is necessary for general use.
Dr. Werner Antweiler’s research in UBC Sauder examines these problems using a business model, examining factors such as transport costs, market competition and new technologies that could influence the future of hydrogen.
“Hydrogen has enormous potential to reshape energy markets. But making it commercially profitable requires coordinated efforts between governments, industries and markets to reduce costs and build trade infrastructure, “said Dr. Antweiler.
Cost is one of the greatest obstacles to the expansion of hydrogen. Green hydrogen – The cleanest option, made using renewable energy – is always expensive compared to other alternatives.
The way hydrogen is exchanged will also be a determining factor in its future. Unlike fossil fuels, where countries are generally exporters or importers, hydrogen could become a more flexible market where nations buy and sell according to cost and availability.
In order for companies to benefit from hydrogen, they will have to obtain long -term contracts that ensure financial stability and reduce risks.
“Hydrogen will not work as the cash and gas cash market. Developers need customers’ guarantees for years to come, which is why long-term contracts are crucial, “he said.
How business leaders can lead the green economy
The green economy needs innovators who can transform hydrogen into a real commercial opportunity. According to Dr. Antweiler, its success will depend on new technologies that reduce production costs and improve efficiency.
“We see progress with a cheaper solar energy, but we also need breakthrough in electrolysers to make high-scale green hydrogen on a large scale,” he said.
For future business leaders, this means that opportunities will not only come from work in durability -focused businesses, they will also emerge in all industries adapt to a low carbon economy. In Canada only, clean energy jobs should increase almost 50% by 2030.
“Climate economy is the economy of the future. My advice: find where your skills align with the high -impact opportunities. The business school provides the tools to connect points – transforming ambition into action and ideas in evolutionary and profitable solutions, ”explains Kookai.
While governments and industries are trying to solve these climatic problems, business leaders will become decisive to attract investments and in long -term decision -making. This is where commercial education offers a separate advantage.
At UBC Sauder, MBA students can specialize in a climate career track that incorporates sustainability into the basic commercial strategy. Climate and economic strategy courses, ESG accounting and reports, climate financing and impact investment Equip UBC Sauder students with tools to succeed in an evolving industry.
“We are the next generation of managers to see climatic solutions such as commercial solutions. The MBA program of the UBC Sauder, combined with the real world projects of our center, prepares students to transform climate challenges into economic transformation engines, “concludes Kookai.