The McDonough School of Business (MSB) is launching a new four-day professional certificate in business sustainability, the first of its kind. 

Admitted students will participate in four days of programming with the stated goal of walking away with a sustainability-oriented mindset and a clear-cut sustainability strategy for their respective businesses and organizations. The Georgetown University Office of Executive Education will offer the program for $3,800 dollars per participant from May 4-7.

Certificate faculty include Vishal Agrawal, the academic director of the MSB’s Business of Sustainability Initiative, and Safak Yucel, an assistant professor of operations management. There will be 11 sessions covering topics ranging from sustainable supply chain management to carbon neutrality, according to the program website.

The program emerged from demand from those in the field for green solutions in modern business and technological landscapes, according to Agrawal.

“We received several requests from alumni and practitioners who wanted to learn more about cutting-edge research and best practices related to sustainable business,” Agrawal wrote to The Hoya. “Therefore, we conceived a short and focused program on this topic to be offered over a short period of time, which would enable participants to attend despite working full time.”

Agrawal said he is looking forward to connecting participants with actionable sustainability solutions.

“I am particularly excited about the sessions which help participants learn how to make the business case for sustainability,” Agrawal wrote. “That is, not only learn the best practices related to sustainable business, but learn how to actually make it happen in their organization.”

Sophia Pezeshkan (CAS ’26), who works in the MSB Technology Center, said she feels providing professionals with sustainability training may help create a shift within the culture of executive positions to consider environmental impact more seriously. 

“In general, I think that’s amazing,” Pezeshkan said. “I think it will help raise awareness, and especially with established business people because it’s usually the younger generations who are more aware of environmental changes. Those are the people who can make a change right now.”

Yucel said the expert faculty involved with the certificate will enable program participants to apply the curriculum to real-world issues immediately.

“This program provides access to a unique set of faculty that conducts cutting-edge, award-winning, practically relevant research on sustainable business,” Yucel wrote to The Hoya. “In addition to our thought-leadership, the program will allow participants to apply their learning the very next day when they go back to their offices. This practical approach, I believe, will be quite useful.”

Yucel said a unique attribute of the program is its relevance to those in the business field and its responsiveness to ongoing changes in the industry. 

“This program is mostly driven by the demand of professionals and companies to better equip future business leaders with a sustainability perspective,” Yucel wrote. “Based on examples from a variety of industries, participants will learn how business model innovation can be implemented to improve both economic and environmental performance, whilst addressing common managerial challenges preventing the adoption of sustainable energy and technology.”

While undergraduate students are ineligible for this certificate, both Agrawal and Yucel said they recommend students in the MSB and across Georgetown’s other schools to research and consider applying for the Sustainable Business Fellows program, which aims to inform aspiring business leaders and entrepreneurs of the modern-day challenges in light of climate change.

Pezeshkan said she hopes the certificate can grow to eventually support Georgetown students in living more sustainable lives.

“I’d appreciate partnering with the certificate to find new sustainable technologies for students in the business school,” Pezeshkan said. “Technology helps avoid wasting paper, but new solutions are always welcome.”