In 2022, the Professional Master’s in Management for Competitiveness Program (known by Portuguese initials MPGC) at Fundação Getulio Vargas’ Sao Paulo School of Business Administration (FGV EAESP) adopted an innovative approach to align its course syllabuses with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDGs are a unified call to action to tackle pressing issues such as poverty eradication, environmental preservation and prosperity for all. FGV recognizes that these issues transcend borders and extend deeply into decision making.

In line with this vision, the program’s coordinator, Gilberto Sarfati, has spearheaded an innovative project rooted in practices to generate tangible results in line with the SDGs. This project set out to look at the various aspects of the program, such as subjects, faculty, related research and events. The central purpose is for each pillar of the program to be imbued with social, environmental and governance aspects that converge with the SDGs.

The project started off by focusing on the courses offered in each of MPGC’s eight research areas with the aim of contributing to discussions and practical actions in the context of the SDGs, positioning students as agents of change. As well as raising awareness and encouraging engagement, the initiative also promotes the development of leaders with sustainable solutions and a clear understanding of managers’ role in the global context.

In the long term, the project aims to have a model for measuring, reporting and communicating the actions adopted by MPGC in relation to the SDGs. To this end, the program has taken advantage of existing tools and mechanisms, involving consistent and phased steps, building the project collectively, including with the support of graduates of the program.

In this way, the project is not only changing the subjects but also thinking about the way things are done, incorporating the goals and principles into the themes of students’ applied work, through established partnerships, projects carried out by students in organizations and in the training of teaching staff. Coordinator Gilberto Sarfati’s idea has already inspired other FGV programs to adapt their courses, including the Professional Doctorate in Administration and OneMBA.

To find out more about MPGC, click here.