Inside the MSc in Sustainable Business Transformation

In a rapidly evolving business landscape, sustainability is no longer a peripheral concern—it is central to how organisations operate and grow. Professor Guergana Guintcheva, Director of the MSc in Sustainable Business Transformation, offers insight into the programme. She explains how the programme blends academic rigour with real-world application, prepares students for emerging green careers, and equips future leaders with the tools to drive meaningful change across industries.

How is the MSc in Sustainable Business Transformation structured?

The MSc in Sustainable Business Transformation is an 18-month, full-time residential programme based on EDHEC’s Lille campus. Its structure is carefully designed to balance academic rigour with practical exposure. Students undertake specialised core courses while also participating in shared learning experiences alongside peers from other MSc in Business Managament programmes. This structure ensures that students develop expertise in sustainability, and also understand how it intersects with a wide range of business functions.

What market needs inspired the creation of this programme?

Traditionally, companies have been expected to deliver strong financial performance. Today, however, they must also demonstrate a positive societal and environmental impact. This shift in expectations was the driving force behind the MSc in Sustainable Business Transformation.

The programme was designed to prepare young professionals who can integrate sustainability into the core functions of a business. Rather than treating it as an add-on, students learn how to embed sustainable thinking into strategy, operations, and decision-making processes.

How does the curriculum address urgent global sustainability challenges?

The curriculum is co-created with both academic experts and industry professionals, ensuring it remains aligned with real-world expectations. We maintain close relationships with companies and regularly update course content to reflect current challenges and trends. Teaching formats are varied and highly interactive. Students engage in traditional lectures, case studies co-led with companies, masterclasses, role-playing exercises, and hackathons. This diversity allows them to approach sustainability from multiple angles. Importantly, sustainability is treated as a transversal theme. It is not confined to a single module but integrated across disciplines such as strategy, marketing, negotiation, and leadership. This holistic approach mirrors the complexity of sustainability challenges in today’s organisations.

What key skills do students develop in the programme?

Graduates acquire both hard and soft skills essential for leading sustainable transformation. On the technical side, they gain a solid understanding of environmental issues, as well as topics such as diversity and inclusion, which are integral to sustainability. Beyond awareness, students are equipped with practical tools. For instance, they learn how to measure and analyse ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) performance, enabling them to make data-driven decisions.

Equally important are the soft skills developed throughout the programme—leadership, collaboration, and critical thinking—which empower graduates to drive change within organisations.

How do learning expeditions enhance the student experience?

Learning expeditions are part of the programme’s personalisation phase, which begins after the core courses. Students can apply to participate in study trips across Europe, carefully chosen to minimise the programme’s carbon footprint. Each expedition focuses on a specific theme. For example, one explores entertainment management in Bulgaria, while another examines how start-ups can drive sustainable innovation. These experiences allow students to engage directly with local ecosystems, gaining first-hand insights into how sustainability is implemented in different contexts. They also encourage students to step outside the classroom and observe how theory translates into practice across industries and regions.

What role do industry partnerships play in the programme?

Industry collaboration is at the heart of EDHEC’s identity. With over a century of entrepreneurial heritage, the school maintains strong ties with companies, and this is deeply embedded in the MSc. Partnerships with organisations such as EY bring valuable expertise into the classroom. Through masterclasses, students explore topics like sustainability consulting and the evolving role of finance in a socially responsible world. Additionally, collaborations with established brands and numerous other companies contribute to workshops, hackathons, and guest lectures. 

How does the programme prepare students for emerging careers in sustainability?

The MSc prepares students for a wide range of roles linked to sustainability, spanning environmental, social, and governance dimensions. Many graduates begin their careers in consulting, which remains one of the top recruitment sectors. Others move into sustainable finance, circular supply chains, operations, or marketing. What distinguishes these roles is their cross-functional nature. Companies increasingly require professionals who can adopt a “zoomed-out” perspective, understanding how decisions in one area impact the organisation as a whole.

The programme equips students with this broad vision, enabling them to navigate complex organisational structures and contribute to systemic change.

What makes the MSc in Sustainable Business Transformation stand out among similar programmes ?

While academic excellence is a given, several features make this MSc distinctive. 

• First, the depth of industry integration ensures that students are constantly exposed to real-world challenges and expectations.
• Second, the programme adopts a generalist approach. Rather than specialising narrowly, students develop a comprehensive understanding of sustainability across all business functions. This holistic perspective is increasingly valuable in today’s interconnected world.
• Finally, the MSc goes beyond raising awareness. It provides concrete tools and methodologies that allow students to measure performance and implement sustainable strategies effectively. Graduates are therefore ready to make an immediate impact in their organisations.

How are students immersed in real-world consulting and transformation projects?

Practical experience is a cornerstone of the programme. Students regularly work on case studies in small teams, addressing real challenges provided by companies. They also participate in workshops and hackathons, where they collaborate intensively over short periods to develop innovative solutions.

A key component is the Master’s project, which accounts for a significant portion of the degree. Over several months, students conduct in-depth research or work on consulting assignments, often in partnership with a company. Guided by both academic and industry mentors, they produce a comprehensive analysis and defend their work at the end of the programme.

This process ensures that students graduate with hands-on experience in tackling complex sustainability issues.