From Vancouver to Nashville, distinguished faculty bridge business and sustainability in this new, online certificate program. Dr. Justin Bull pioneers eco-entrepreneurship, while Mark Cohen integrates legal expertise with corporate responsibility, and Jeff Gowdy offers a hands-on approach to environmental conservation. Featured in bi-weekly live lectures, Christie Stephenson blends business acumen with ethics and as a collective, these educators set the gold standard for the intersection of business and sustainability.
Justin Bull
Lecturer, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group; Leader, Sustainability & Ethics Group, UBC Sauder School of Business
Justin Bull
Lecturer, Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group; Leader, Sustainability & Ethics Group, UBC Sauder School of Business
Sustainability as a Business Opportunity
At the University of British Columbia, Professor Justin Bull emphasizes a transformative perspective on sustainability. Rather than viewing it as a mere cost, he encourages business leaders to recognize it as an avenue for innovation, profitability, and positive societal impact. Bull’s interdisciplinary expertise, spanning from International Relations to Wood Science, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit, infuses his teachings in the online Global Certificate in Corporate Sustainability program—a collaboration between Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management and UBC Sauder School of Business.
Bull’s message is resonant: the pivot towards a sustainable future is not just a moral imperative; it’s a strategic advantage. As governments and major corporations champion sustainability, businesses that don’t adapt risk obsolescence. Beyond saving costs, sustainability is about harnessing opportunities, attracting talent, and innovating for a prosperous future.
Mark Cohen
Mark Cohen, Justin Potter Professor of American Competitive Enterprise, Emeritus, and Professor Emeritus of Management, Vanderbilt University
Mark Cohen
Mark Cohen, Justin Potter Professor of American Competitive Enterprise, Emeritus, and Professor Emeritus of Management, Vanderbilt University
Vanguard of Sustainability in Business
Mark Cohen, Justin Potter Professor of American Competitive Enterprise, Emeritus, and Professor Emeritus of Management has been at the forefront of sustainability education in business since 1993. His courses, once attended by a mere handful, attracted half of Vanderbilt’s MBA students, highlighting the rising importance of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues. A recognized authority on environmental regulation, Cohen believes in weaving sustainability into every facet of business, from supply chains to employee bonuses.
Through the online Global Certificate in Corporate Sustainability program, Cohen instills in professionals the need to integrate sustainability seamlessly into their business strategies, ensuring a balance between people, profit, and planet.
Jeff Gowdy
Ingram Scholars Program Faculty Advisor; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management; Director of Sustainserv GmbH/Inc.
Jeff Gowdy
Ingram Scholars Program Faculty Advisor; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management; Director of Sustainserv GmbH/Inc.
Bridging Engineering and Sustainability in Business Education
Vanderbilt’s Jeff Gowdy emphasizes that sustainability isn’t just for big corporations but affects businesses of all sizes. As an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt Owen Graduate School of Management and an integral part of the new online Global Certificate in Corporate Sustainability program, Gowdy brings a unique blend of an engineering background and MBA in Strategy focused on environmental management. He emphasizes consumer-driven sustainability, stating people are increasingly choosing environmentally and socially centric products.
Drawing from his role at SustainServ, a global sustainability consulting firm, and inspired by his professor father, Gowdy ensures his students gain a comprehensive grasp of corporate sustainability’s breadth and depth, preparing them to strategically address the most pressing issues in the field.
Leonora Zilkha Williamson
Associate Professor of the Practice of Business Studies, Vanderbilt University; Founder of Platinum Rule Advisors
Leonora Zilkha Williamson
Associate Professor of the Practice of Business Studies, Vanderbilt University; Founder of Platinum Rule Advisors
Bridging Corporate Strategy and Sustainable Values
Founder of Platinum Rule Advisors, Leonora Zilkha Williamson shines as a seasoned corporate strategist with a fervent commitment to sustainable values. With a foundation built at J.P. Morgan, Boston Consulting Group, and Estée Lauder’s MAC Cosmetics international division, she also educates the next generation at Vanderbilt University on Negotiation and Corporate Social Responsibility.
A recipient of Nashville’s #1 executive coach in 2021 and 2022, Williamson’s multi-faceted background, combined with her comprehensive approach to sustainability, positions her as both a dynamic leader and educator in today’s evolving business landscape. Williamson will join the program faculty for live lectures throughout the program.
Christie Stephenson
Executive Director of the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, UBC Sauder School of Business
Christie Stephenson
Executive Director of the Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics, UBC Sauder School of Business
Leading the Charge in Business Ethics and Responsible Governance
Christie Stephenson serves as the Executive Director of UBC Sauder School of Business’s Peter P. Dhillon Centre for Business Ethics. She is an influential voice in the fields of responsible business and governance. Before her current role, Stephenson dedicated over 15 years to socially responsible and impact investing.
Stephenson’s governance expertise spans more than 20 years and includes director roles across various non-profit and private organizations. She has also been a judge for the Governance Professionals of Canada’s Excellence in Governance Awards and is an active member of the Canadian Climate Law Initiative’s Climate Governance Experts Network. Stephenson will join the program faculty for live lectures throughout the program.