More than 300,000 people will have the opportunity to pursue an accredited master’s degree in sustainability for free thanks to a new program launched by the accounting firm EY (formerly Ernst & Young) and Hult International Business School. The master’s degree program will be available to all of EY’s 312,000 staff members no matter their rank, tenure, or location.
EY and Hult International Business School launch free master’s program for 300,000 employees
BY Meghan MalasFebruary 28, 2022, 10:31 PM
Outside the London offices of accounting and auditing firm EY, formerly Ernst & Young, as seen in November 2020.
TOLGA AKMEN—AFP/Getty Images
The goal of the program is to expand sustainability and climate literacy, as a recent worldwide survey of EY employees reported that 74% wanted to participate in activities that have a positive impact on communities and the environment, according to a press release announcing the program’s launch.
“We all know that sustainability is one of the most important topics around the world right now—in fact, the recent EY CEO Survey found that 82% of CEOs report that ESG factors are important or very important to strategic decision-making,” says Trent Henry, global vice chair of talent at EY. ESG criteria involves the evaluation and scoring of a company’s environmental, social, and governance factors by investors.
The master’s degree program will position EY teams to build new and innovative sustainability services for clients around the globe, Henry adds.
An EY-exclusive program
The program is only available to EY staff, and there is no application process. Additionally, the online curriculum can be completed at any pace, and employees can start the program immediately.
Students will cover topics including climate change, sustainable finance, impact entrepreneurship, as well as leadership, business, and technology. Students in the program will also team up to complete a sustainability challenge project.
EY has a goal to reach carbon net zero by 2025. It has partnered with Hult in the past to offer a master’s degree program in business analytics, as well as MBA and tech-focused MBA programs to its employees.
The sustainability program elevates the skills of students who are in high-growth areas for client work, distinguishing them in the talent marketplace, Mukul Kumar, Hult’s chief innovation officer, said in a press release.
“Today, we are delighted to be collaborating with EY to educate its people on viewing sustainability as both a business challenge and competitive opportunity,” Kumar said.
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