Business school candidates’ demand for sustainability in 3 interactive charts

According to the GMAC Prospective Students Survey, 57 percent of business school candidates say it is important or very important to incorporate sustainability into their business school curricular or co-curricular learning. 

Among those candidates, 37 percent say they will not even consider applying to a school that does not incorporate sustainability into their academic experience.

Based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the survey defines sustainability with example topics like sustainable cities and communities; affordable and clean energy; climate action; sustainable use of water and land resources.

This Earth Day, explore who expects to learn about the intersection of sustainability and business in three interactive charts.

1. The share of candidates who say sustainability is very important to their academic experience has declined since we first added the question in 2023—and the trend is most pronounced among women.

2. Nigeria, India, and Brazil are home to the candidates most interested in learning about sustainability in business school. 

3. Prospective business school students have roughly similar desires to learn about sustainability regardless of their preferred degree type.