Investing in Knowledge Production
There are still many, many things we do not know about how taking a more sustainable approach to business can lead to better financial, social, and environmental outcomes for a wider range of stakeholders. We aspire to make the Center for Sustainable Business a world-renowned hub for applied research in the field of sustainable business models.
As such, we embrace opportunities to partner with sponsor companies on applied research that addresses sustainability-related concerns they are facing in real time. Through sponsorship of the Center, companies have opportunities to participate in collaborative research on sustainability, as well as access to cutting-edge research on sustainable business strategy from around the world. Some examples of how sponsor companies benefit from the research programs offered through the Center include:
- Engaging in semester-long applied research projects with small teams of MBA students on topics chosen by the company.
- Collaborating with faculty and staff on long-term applied research projects.
- Participating in in-depth case studies to gain industry and academic exposure for special initiatives or projects related to sustainability.
- Sponsoring grant competitions for faculty, staff, and students to conduct original research on topics related to sustainable business strategy.
- Co-authoring or participating as the subject or fiscal sponsor of academic or popular publications related to sustainability alongside Pitt faculty, staff, and/or students.
- Receiving up-to-date information on the latest advancements in research in the field as curated by our researchers and staff members.
- Building a reputation for investing in external partnerships to innovate around shared sustainability challenges.
We believe in the importance of partnership and collaboration that crosses disciplinary boundaries and engages corporate and non-corporate entities, students and experts, researchers and industry leaders, and academic as well as public and private institutional stakeholders (such as international organizations, non-profit organizations, governing bodies, elected officials, think tanks, and the foundation community). Because of this commitment to bringing various stakeholders together to solve shared challenges, we help facilitate relationships between our corporate sponsors and researchers across the University of Pittsburgh. In these efforts, our company sponsors benefit from the broad reach and diversity of research taking place at the University of Pittsburgh. As the home of the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, the recipient of numerous accolades for campus initiatives in sustainability, and an international reputation for excellence, we bring a strong foundation of institutional expertise to the table. We leverage these strengths within our community to bring added value to our partnerships with member companies.
*The type of research-related engagement companies enjoy depends on their level of sponsorship.
Capitalizing on a Diverse Research Community
Sustainability research at the Center for Sustainable Business involves contributions from the accomplished faculty and staff of the Katz Graduate School and the College of Business Administration, as well as a broad network of scholars based in other departments and schools at the University of Pittsburgh. Read more about these faculty members and their research areas of expertise.
Elsewhere at Pitt, we engage with a large network of faculty and staff working on sustainability issues that have an economic or business strategy component. These partners help lead a wide range of sustainability-related programming for undergraduate and graduate students, conduct applied sustainability research in field settings, and help us build relationships with researchers working in industry, in other higher education settings, in government and the non-profit sector, and beyond. Read more about this diverse network of faculty and staff and their areas of expertise here.
Our Sponsors
