The School of Business at Siena College is accredited by the prestigious Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). One aspect of this accreditation, challenges member schools to commit to meaningful activities to improve society. Societal impact encompasses activities undertaken by business schools that over time lead to meaningful, discernable change for the betterment of people, economies, and the environment. AACSB does not mandate an impact framework, but strongly suggests UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In Spring 2023, the School of Business faculty adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for collective action on societal impact. Throughout the 2023-24 school year, a faculty committee worked to combine the SDGs into actionable "clusters" including Formative Education for Servant Leadership, Integral Community Development and Environmental Stewardship.
The mission of the Siena MBA program is to prepare innovative leaders for positive global impact. The UN SDGs and the concept of responsible leadership is introduced in the first core course and reinforced throughout the program, including the MBA capstone course. In the MBA program, student teams have developed plans for sustainability projects on campus and beyond.