The sustainability minor at Mount Union answers a global need for more well-researched professionals in this academic discipline that is no longer simply a hobby. The program equips undergraduate students with the understanding of the ethical, practical, and innovative approaches used to balance the need for human consumption and development with environmental, economic, and social equity.
Mount Union’s commitment to sustainable practices is evident, as a sustainability task force was formed on campus in 2007 and the Sustainability Management Advisory Committee has been a campus staple since 2010. In 2008, Mount Union became one of the first 70 institutions to pilot the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS), eventually earning a bronze rating in 2011 and a silver rating in 2014.
Regardless of job title, the work of all sustainability professionals focuses on the intersection of environment, economics, and social and cultural issues, or what’s referred to in the business world as the “triple bottom line” of people, profits, and planet. In 2014, 43% of executives said their companies seek to align sustainability with their overall business goals, mission, or values, up from 30% in 2012.