We need global commerce to deliver as a force for good – but in order to achieve this, business education must lead the way, says Nicolas Chevrollier of Nyenrode Business University
In today’s business landscape, sustainability is no longer optional, it’s an imperative. From climate risk and biodiversity loss to social inequality and supply chain resilience, companies are expected to do more than generate profit. They are expected to lead systemic change. This is new and at the same time challenging for many business leaders and managers.
But to lead well, we need leaders who understand the complexity of these challenges, and who are ready to act on them. That kind of leadership is forged not only in boardrooms, but in business schools.
The missing link in sustainability transitions
Business schools shape mindsets, managerial norms, and strategic priorities. Yet, many continue to operate under outdated models that prioritise rankings, reputation, and revenue over impact. If business is now expected to be a force for good, then business education, which is received by business leaders all over the world, must also walk the talk.
Nyenrode Business University in the Netherlands has taken a significant step in this direction. In 2024, the school became one of the first academic business school institutions in the BeNeLux to achieve B Corporation (B-Corp) certification.
B-Corp certification is a globally recognised standard awarded to organisations that meet high thresholds for social and environmental impact, accountability, and transparency. It covers a number of organisation dimensions such as stakeholder governance, worker engagement, climate action and human rights.
“Nyenrode’s B-Corp Certification sets a new benchmark for responsible business education”
The key question under this certification is: why should business schools pursue this? At Nyenrode, we believe business schools have a unique role to play in sustainability transitions. If we want to shape future leaders who can navigate complexity and lead with integrity, we must model those values ourselves. Our B-Corp status is both a signal and a structure for doing exactly that. Nyenrode’s B-Corp Certification sets a new benchmark for responsible business education.
Stewardship as a core value
Our approach is grounded in stewardship, rooted in the care for people, planet, and prosperity. This is not a marketing claim, but one of the three key values of Nyenrode, combined with Leadership and Entrepreneurship. Rather than simply teaching sustainability, we have embedded sustainable development into our operations, governance, and community engagement. This reflects our broader mission: “To serve society by shaping responsible leaders for a sustainable future”.
In practical terms, this means auditing emissions, having a progressive governance structure, integrating ESG metrics into institutional strategy, and fostering a culture where values like accountability, inclusion, and long-term thinking guide decisions.
The power of internal change agents towards cultural change
A key driver of this internal transformation is Manon Doesborgh, Nyenrode’s official “B-Keeper”, a role designed to champion and monitor the school’s commitment to B-Corp standards.
“I see it as my responsibility to be a driving force behind initiatives in which Nyenrode, as a business, is used as a force for good,” says Doesborgh. “Just as important is shining a light on everyone who contributes from their own expertise. That’s how we build a movement that everyone feels part of.”
This emphasis on shared responsibility is critical. Sustainability cannot be owned by a single department. It must be embedded across academic programmes, research, student initiatives, and campus operations.
Importantly, B-Corp status is not static. Certification must be renewed every three years, with demonstrable improvements required across all impact areas to reach the minimum requirements. That means Nyenrode cannot rest on its laurels. Instead, it’s using the B-Corp framework as a continuous improvement tool, a compass to guide strategy, partnerships, and operations.
For other institutions, this offers an important lesson: sustainability is not just about compliance. It’s about culture.
Why B-Schools should be held accountable
Today’s businesses are expected to disclose climate risks, track supply chain emissions, and uphold DEI principles. Business schools must now be held to the same expectations as the businesses they educate. Too often, business schools champion sustainability in theory but ignore their own environmental and social footprints. They speak of stakeholder value, but remain focused on ranking and tuition revenues.
If we want a generation of leaders who take sustainability seriously, then the schools training them must lead by example. It is where structural changes in individuals’ worldviews and values are ignited, allowing learners to develop new frames of reference.
The B-Corp framework offers a clear, globally credible standard for impact. For Nyenrode, certification was not a branding exercise, it was a learning process. Going through the rigorous assessment meant asking hard questions:
- Are our governance structures aligned with our mission?
- Do we treat our workers fairly and inclusively?
- How are we reducing our environmental footprint?
- How do we ensure our students and stakeholders benefit equitably?
These are the same questions companies are asking themselves. By asking them internally, Nyenrode is aligning its own performance with what it teaches, improving its own integrity. In other words: practice what you preach! “Purpose and profit can go hand in hand. We need to prepare students for the real challenges of the 21st century first and foremost in business schools, where future leaders learn and grow,” says Doesborgh.
Leading the transition by example
Nyenrode’s leadership is already sparking conversations across the European business school community. Could B-Corp become a new standard in higher education at private institutions? Could accreditation bodies recognise impact metrics alongside academic excellence?
It’s not a far-fetched idea. In fact, it may be necessary. The world does not need more MBAs fluent in traditional strategies or financial optimisation but blind to planetary limits. It needs leaders who understand systems, think long-term, and act with purpose.
We hope our example will help accelerate the market transformation of business schools towards a higher level of sustainability and, consequently, with a ripple effect, the sustainability performance of businesses and associated behaviours of business leaders.
Nyenrode’s B-Corp certification is more than a badge. It is a blueprint for how academic institutions can contribute meaningfully to sustainability transitions by aligning purpose with practice, and pedagogy with performance.
For companies and investors looking to hire or partner with mission-driven talent, the message is clear: start looking at where future leaders are being trained and how seriously those institutions take their own impact.
About the author
Dr. Nicolas Chevrollier is an associate professor at Nyenrode Business University. He is part of Nyenrode’s Faculty Research Center for Entrepreneurship, Governance & Stewardship. Nicolas is lecturing at BSc, MSc and MBA levels and researching on how new forms of strategy, business models and organisations lead to higher levels of sustainability. He is especially interested in the transition to post-growth economy and how degrowth principles could be embedded into organisation.