Corporate responsibility becoming an MBA trend

Eric Dunford says his interest in corporate social responsibility (CSR) was the main reason why he pulled up stakes in Toronto to pursue his MBA studies at Dalhousie University in Halifax. "CSR actually influenced where I chose to do the program," he says.

The 25-year-old corporate residency student feels the business world is making a big push toward more authentic commitment to policies and programs. "I read a report recently that says 70% of companies have placed CSR policies on their agenda. So it's not a niche element. It's not a 'frill' on your resumé. You have to incorporate it somehow to be an industry leader."

...Steve Maguire, director of the Marcel Desautels Institute for Integrated Management at McGill University echoes Horvath's thoughts: "It has become increasingly clear over the last couple of decades that business has become dangerously disembedded from the social and ecological fabric on which it depends. This is linked causally to a number of societal issues, from ecological degradation to childhood obesity. It's difficult to disentangle these from straightforward business issues."

Read full article: Financial Post, March 27, 2012