Navigating sustainability, business, and student life
In 2022, the University of Toronto School of Graduate Studies (SGS) established the Inclusive Excellence Admissions Scholarship (IEAS) to support the recruitment and contributions of students who have been historically underrepresented in academia but more importantly, who demonstrate excellence in their academics, professional life, and overall guiding principles. In 2023, one of U of T’s IEAS recipients is Anne Mayengo, a first-year master’s student in the Master’s in Science of Sustainability Management (MScSM) program at the Institute for Management and Innovation (IMI).
With a business and sustainability background from McGill University, choosing MScSM as the next step in her journey was an easy choice for Anne given that MScSM is where sustainability meets business and social science. The Program offers a rich learning environment for exploring the intersection of environment, society, and business, as well as countless experiential opportunities for students to take their studies outside of the classroom. In her undergraduate studies, Anne took a class called “The Social Dimensions of Business”, which opened her eyes to a different way of viewing business, and how certain corporate objectives can play a role in harming the health of our planet and people. She remarks that “looking at business from a social [and] environmental lens was just completely groundbreaking because it was a formal realization and introduction to the fact that there can be real impact in the business field, [and that] businesses have a responsibility that goes beyond maximizing profits, by caring for our environment, and caring for our society.”
Anne is passionate about how marketing, specifically social marketing, can help foster a corporate culture of sustainability. During her degree, her concentration in marketing and experience as a marketing intern helped Anne realize that skills such as communication are critical in securing a sustainable future. She explains that “[my academic and extracurricular experiences] have taught me so much about the sustainability professional and leader I am going to become. Specifically, marketing taught me a lot about communicating ideas. With sustainability in the corporate world, not everyone is going to be on the same page, so [it is crucial to understand] how to communicate our goals and values.” Anne was the marketing director for a sustainability network initiative based at McGill University that brought together students with the common goal of promoting intersectional thinking and sustainability in all areas of business – whether it be finance, accounting, management, or marketing. “Using marketing as a way to bring people towards sustainability and speaking [another person’s] ‘language’”, says Anne, is absolutely fundamental in respecting and uniting all perspectives towards a more environmentally ethical and sustainable future. The Inclusive Excellence Scholarship rewards students who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating excellence and channeling their passions into their studies and professional aspirations just as Anne has done.
Sustainability is an interdisciplinary and constantly changing field. And the MScSM program not only acknowledges this fact but actively works to integrate it into its curriculum. Anne believes that “too often, sustainability is put into boxes. It’s put in silos. [...] And there sometimes isn’t a chance to think of [sustainability] as integrated in terms of environmental studies, social sciences, policymaking, and more. But I think [MScSM’s integrated nature] is what really attracted me to the program.” This holistic approach to studying sustainability is important to Anne. She says that “it is reassuring when sustainability is presented in such an integrated way because it reminds me that sustainability is everywhere, and that what I am doing is not so different from what others are doing or should be doing [in business].”
As she advances into her MSc degree, Anne hopes to enhance her technical skills, such as data analysis, sustainability reporting, and more, while also nurturing teamwork and problem-solving skills. Anne’s learning in the classroom and beyond has instilled her with powerful insights and guiding philosophies which define the type of impact she wants to make on the world. On one hand, “businesses are very powerful entities,” says Anne; on the other, “our current economic system is flawed, and we need to re-evaluate it, and move forward in a way that encompasses social and environmental perspectives of a circular economy.”
Moving forward, Anne is excited about using her time at IMI and MScSM as a springboard to connect with like-minded students and mentors as well as cultivate her impact on the world: “ultimately, I believe my time in this program is the ideal [place] for me to effect positive change within the corporate world while [still] championing sustainable practices and values”, affirms Anne. Pursuing a master’s degree is an undoubtedly challenging endeavour. To her fellow peers and incoming students, Anne attests to the importance of “allowing yourself to learn outside the scope of your academic journey. [...] Giving yourself the chance to explore your passions outside of what the classroom can offer you – whether it be attending conferences, networking, or [supplementing your learning via the Internet] – is super powerful.”
If you want to connect with Anne, please do so via her LinkedIn.