New IU Kelley Institute To Focus On Sustainability And The Environment

By Casey Smith, Indiana Capital Chronicle

April 25, 2023

A new interdisciplinary institute at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business will focus on research aimed at sustainability and the environment, the school announced Monday.

The Institute for Environmental and Social Sustainability will bring together more than 40 Kelley School professors in Bloomington and Indianapolis who are already doing research in those areas. New course offerings and other educational opportunities for students are expected to materialize from the program, too.

Now, the institute plans to increase the amount of live case study teaching with business partners and offer graduate and undergraduate students more opportunities to do micro consulting and service learning.

“Many companies are increasingly addressing environmental and sustainability issues to better understand the impact of their activity on people and society,” said Ash Soni, dean of the Kelley School, in a statement. “Our faculty has been engaged in these issues for a while, and this institute will help us to be better positioned to make a difference.”

Enrollment in an undergraduate course on sustainability law and policy has tripled since 2017, according to IU. New courses in climate law and policy — at both the undergraduate and graduate levels — and another on business and poverty alleviation have been introduced in recent years.

“We are delving into areas of environmental and social sustainability that many other business schools simply aren’t focusing on,” added Rebecca Slotegraaf, associate dean for research. “We offer experience and expertise, and our students want to be even more engaged in this area. And our corporate partners and alumni are looking to us to provide leadership. This institute will help us build stronger momentum and have an innovative impact.”

The institute will be led by Kelly Eskew, clinical professor of business law and ethics, and Owen Wu, associate professor of operations and decision technologies.

Key research priorities will include a focus on how businesses can address the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, which have been described as an “urgent call for action by all countries” in a global effort to end poverty while tackling climate change.

Part of that emphasis will include collaboration with other business schools to look at sustainability in Europe and Latin America.

Faculty and students will take on that research together.

“Sustainability and climate change have become material issues to investors,” Eskew said in a statement. “You cannot do business in a global marketplace unless your company is paying attention to sustainable business management and to climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. For example, regulations in the EU impact American businesses that are engaged in Europe’s common marketplace.”

“But even without mandates, investors are insisting that companies pay attention to this,” she continued. “It makes companies more resilient when there are economic shocks; it helps to draw talent like our excellent Kelley students.”

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