Dear visitors, subscribers and friends. It is with distinct pleasure that I am announcing that as of today (and for the next two years) I’ll be studying for a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in Sustainable Business at Pinchot University, Seattle.
This comes after a decade-long commitment and passion to energy and climate issues. Having searched for years for jobs and missions in the renewable energy industry, it became apparent that I needed the specific knowledge and technical skills if I were to have any impact on how businesses and communities answer to climate change.
Now you might wonder, why as a Frenchman I chose an institution thousands of miles (or kilometers) from home ?
The first reason was that as an International Management professional I have been trained and been working in many different countries in Europe, and lately, in my beloved Colombia. So I wanted to start this new chapter of my life somewhere new. I chose the United States of America as they are becoming a major force in sustainability.
I chose Pinchot University because I wanted a true MBA in Sustainability, with such values at the core, at the foundation, at the heart of the program and of the school.
Most MBAs generally offer regular classes with a few “green” classes. I didn’t want that as I already have all the business acumen I could need or want. What I wanted was for sustainability to be woven into all classes, from finance to marketing and from strategy to management
This significantly limited my options. And after some serious browsing, searching and reading, I applied to Pinchot University. After a few weeks and an interview, I was – to my great honour – accepted.
Pinchot University – formerly known as the Bainbridge Graduate Institute (BGI) – designed the first MBA in sustainability ever. Now talk about an achievement !
They are also ranked first in Net Impact’s Business as Unusual study, which ranks nearly a hundred degrees in the US and abroad. They were also featured in a Huffington Post article on the top five sustainable business schools…
If an MBA wasn’t enough to keep me busy for the next two years, I also decided to pursue Pinchot’s Certificate in Sustainable Energy Solutions to garner hands-on knowledge about energy. Classes start September 28, 2015.
Indeed, after my article on the Lima Minima, I am now convinced that it is up to businesses and communities to do something about climate change as international negotiations are not exactly tackling the issue with the necessary might or speed.
As most businesses don’t really care about polar bears but do care about their overheads I think that helping them cut their energy consumption – and their greenhouse gases emissions – is the most pragmatic thing I could do.
To conclude, I will be able to work here in the United States after my first year of study. Additionally, I would like to gain experience doing up to three practica in this same timeframe. So if you are interested to learn more about me, please have a look at my updated resume and/ or my Linkedin profile.
Last but not least, my blogging here will get back to its thrice-a-week pace as usual. So stay tuned (and subscribe if you hadn’t yet ! )T
