Ashridge Signs Paris Pledge for Action
Ashridge Business School has strengthened its commitment to sustainability by signing the Paris Pledge for Action after taking part in the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP21) in December 2015.
The pledge states the promise of stakeholders to prevent global temperatures from rising by aiming to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the second half of the twenty-first century.
Along with businesses, organizations, cities and investors, Ashridge Executive Education will assist in implementing the agreement through the contributions of research, education and training within various sectors. The major role that Ashridge will play is that of educating companies in how to achieve success in the “low carbon economy.”
According to the school’s website, “Many [individuals and organizations] will require a better basic literacy of the low carbon economy. What does it mean for raising money from the capital markets? What are the implications for engaging with consumers? What are the implications for innovation and new product and service development? For supply chains? For an organization’s capabilities? What does it mean for an organization’s relations with different national and regional governments and partnerships with other stakeholders?”
Ashridge previously exhibited a commitment to the implementation of sustainable practices by signing the UN Principles for Responsible Management Education, which was formed by the UN to implement social responsibility into business education. The school offers an MSc in Sustainability and Responsibility, which trains students in carrying out responsible business practices in a global economy that requires ever-increasing knowledge of the state of the environment.
Ashridge’s sustainability policy, adopted in August 2015, can be found here.
About the Author
Maggie Boccella
Maggie Boccella, a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, is a freelance writer, artist and photographer. She has consulted on various film and multimedia projects, and she also serves as a juror for the city's annual LGBTQIA Film Festival.
