Spirituality, Ethics, Social Concerns & the Workplace

In the continuing movement to bring a stronger sense of spiritual maturity to the for profit sector—which is already evident within the nonprofit sector—business schools are reworking their curriculum, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.

An excerpt.

“For years, companies have suggested changes to bread-and-butter business school courses.

“But recently, firms have begun to try to make their mark on another subject: social responsibility and sustainability.

“Some companies are taking a hands-on approach to help train potential employees, using real projects in an effort to help students move beyond case studies that are quickly becoming outdated.

“Students "really need to go and dig into the behind-the-scenes operations. If we don't give [them] that opportunity, they come out handicapped," says Dave Stangis, vice president of corporate social responsibility and sustainability at Campbell Soup Co.

“This new push is part of a larger effort among corporations to integrate social concerns beyond donations and once-a-year volunteering. The effort is being met with both gratitude and skepticism from business schools, which say that despite the emphasis on integrating these hot-button topics into the curriculum, it's business as usual at recruiting time. Few hiring managers, they say, ask students about corporate-responsibility training or indicate it's a priority.

“Still, for their part, companies say that working with business schools is important to ensure a new generation of workers sees corporate responsibility as a bottom-line booster, not just something to feel good about.

"My whole goal in this [role] is to mature the curricula," says Mr. Stangis, who finds that many M.B.A.s—even those studying the subject—need to better understand how to implement CSR-related initiatives so they can have a real impact and business tie-in. "I don't think we are turning out the kind of students that we need to in this field."