IE Business School, 1st worldwide in ESG and Net Zero teaching according to Financial Times MBA Ranking 2023

According to the latest ranking of Global MBA programs published by the Financial Times IE Business School is first in the world in teaching MBA students in matters related to ESG and Net Zero and the school is second in the world in its carbon footprint. IE Business School’s International MBA program ranks 22nd in the world and sixth in Europe in the overall ranking. In addition, the institution is first in gender diversity in its faculty and in the boardroom. Criteria is based on career progression, diversity, global experience, as well as research and ESG. 

“This latest ranking from the Financial Times reflects the work of our business school, together with our entire institution, to promote business with purpose through education, research, and innovation.”
Norman Kurtis, Dean of Programs at IE Business School 

“We are recognized as first in the world for gender diversity in our faculty as well as on our board. In addition, we are first in teaching about ESG and second in carbon footprint, which reflects our commitment to sustainability and our recent recognition as one of the first carbon neutral universities in Europe,” said Norman Kurtis, Dean of Programs at IE Business School. “Furthermore, our students enjoy a unique ecosystem with 140 nationalities on campus. They learn and practice in a safe environment where they are able to develop their skills and tackle business challenges under pressure in diverse teams from different cultures. The MBA has an impact on their lives – it is here that they realize their purpose, decide their professional future, and work on the best version of themselves.”

The Financial Times ranking follows the recent announcement that IE University is recognized as one of the first carbon neutral universities in Europe. IE Business School has been carbon neutral since 2021, is internationally audited, and consistently dedicates a considerable amount of its academic curriculum to ESG topics. In fact, students in the School’s International MBA program have the opportunity to participate in a range of sustainability-related coursework and initiatives, such as the Social Impact Lab, which supports social enterprises in South Africa and Spain with consulting projects, and Impact Projects with companies, for example an initiative with Madrid’s public hospital La Paz in which MBA students worked on the commercialization of a new Neuro Data Tracker for stroke victims. The International MBA curriculum currently offers a range of electives for students interested in ESG, including social entrepreneurship and impact investing, technology innovation and sustainability, sustainable finance, marketing strategy for sustainability, and business at the base of the pyramid and impact investment.

All IE Business School students can participate in the IE Net Impact Club, which aims to inspire, train, and promote socially responsible business management; the IE SDGs Club, which promotes awareness of the United Nations SDGs; and the IE Social Responsibility Forum, which brings together senior executives every year to discuss the challenges of CSR. IE University at large hosts a range of ESG-related events and initiatives that are open to the entire community, such as IE Sustainability Week, in which the planet, the circular economy and social volunteering centered the debate on campus.