August 19 kicked off the Sustainable Innovation MBA (or SI-MBA) at ̽̽ Grossman School of Business. New students of the accelerated one-year MBA with sustainability integrated into the curriculum participated in orientation activities throughout the week.
Orientation Week Programs
During SI-MBA orientation, the 2025 cohort got to better know each other, the ̽̽ faculty and staff, more about the upcoming year, and the Burlington area–their new home for the next 12 months. Students got to know each other outside of the classroom and met even more faculty and staff at the Welcome Dinner at the ECHO Museum on the downtown Burlington waterfront, complete with a stunning view of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
During the week, Jeffrey Hollender, co-founder and former CEO of Seventh Generation, visited Kalkin and Ifshin Halls to share insights with students about the future of responsible business and how businesses need to contribute to making ‘more good’ and not just doing ‘less bad.’ SI-MBA students also stepped off campus to visit Burton and Rhino Foods–certified B-Corps operating in two very different industries–where they saw first-hand how snowboards and cookie dough are made at two iconic Vermont leaders in responsible business.
One Year Together
Students in each SI-MBA cohort learn and grow together as a cohesive group, forming life-long professional and personal relationships with each other. While students who enroll in the Sustainable Innovation MBA program come from a variety of professional backgrounds, they benefit from the collaboration and learning from each other about other industries. The common thread that draws them here? The desire to change business for the better for our people and planet.
Sustainability in Every Class
The SI-MBA program focuses on the tools needed to manage business today and lead through change tomorrow, with the knowledge and skills to be effective change agents in their chosen fields. was built from the ground-up to integrate environmental, social, and governance considerations into the MBA curriculum. Students develop holistic, interdisciplinary approaches that help businesses grow profitably and sustainably. Since the SI-MBA program started in 2014, the curriculum and experiential learning opportunities are continually revised with input from leading sustainability thought leaders who also make appearances and share their insights with students.
The one-year in-person SI-MBA experience in beautiful Burlington, Vermont concludes with a three-month practicum project ehere students work on consulting engagements within sustainable businesses across Vermont, the U.S., and beyond. This capstone experience of the SI-MBA program is a hands-on, full-time consulting engagement with an existing or emerging business.
In addition to the practicum project, extra-curricular events and activities are a critical part of our program. There are weekly networking events, alumni gatherings, Innovator in Residence visits by internationally recognized experts in sustainability and social justice, along with opportunities to participate in national and international case competitions to increase expertise and specialized networks.
Highest Ranked "Best Green MBA” Since 2018
The program has been and continues to be the U.S.’s highest ranked green MBA program accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the most prestigious accrediting body for business programs. Only 5% of programs worldwide earn this honor. AACSB accreditation means that our curriculum, faculty, and program governance regularly pass an in-depth review by academic business experts.
Learn more about the Sustainable Innovation MBA program.
Photos by Ben Chiappinelli.