Solvay EMBA x UN Sustainable Development Goals: A Transformational Journey to Change the World

Solvay Brussels School's newly instated Executive MBA UN SDG scholarships recognise applicants working to create a more sustainable world. A year later, we visited some of our participants who share their impactful projects with us! 

From poverty to inequality, climate change to environmental degradation – the world faces a myriad of challenges that demand sustainable solutions. And while the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide the blueprint for achieving sustainable change, that blueprint is nothing more than an idea if there’s nobody ready to lead the change.

Considering that our motto is to ‘Lead the Change’, we saw a unique opportunity to align the Solvay Executive MBA experience with the United Nations' SDGs. The result was the Solvay Executive MBA UN SDG scholarship programme.

These scholarships, which can range from EUR 2,500.00 to EUR 7,000.00, recognise applicants who have made a significant contribution to achieving one or more of the 17 sustainable development goals.

Having a real impact

Whether done in a personal or professional capacity, our UN SDG scholars have all had a real impact on creating a more sustainable world. For example:

• One of our Executive MBA participants had spent their holidays teaching coding and IT skills to refugee kids in the Middle East
• Another worked to set up a woman-to-woman mentorship programme at her company. In doing so, she aims to increase the confidence of female colleagues while also bringing more women to the decision table
• A prospective participant, who is a scientist at a biotech firm, aims to reduce preventable deaths of newborns and young children by 2030
• An alumnus is involved in a venture that helps restaurants give their leftover food to underprivileged and homeless people.     

Leading the change: one sustainability project at the time 

Not only do all of these initiatives exemplify several sustainable development goals, it also shows how Solvay Executive MBA participants are at the forefront of leading the change towards sustainability.

This is in part because sustainability is fully integrated into the Executive MBA programme: all participants must complete a sustainability project, a process that involves assessing a company’s sustainability policy and making recommendations for improvement.

With the United Nations' SDG Scholarship, sustainability is further embedded in the curriculum. By sharing their own experiences, recipients raise awareness about the UN Sustainable Development Goals and show how the skills one learns in the classroom can be used in "the real world". They also inspire others to integrate a more sustainable mindset in their personal and professional endeavours - all while gaining new knowledge, new skills, and a new global network that will help our SDG scholars further their own sustainability efforts. 

Watch two groups of EMBA participants talk about their projects

Solvay EMBA Sustainability Project: Mobility Plan

Solvay EMBA Sustainability Project: Packaging in the Toy Industry

MORE INFO ON THE EXECUTIVE MBA PROGRAMME