The University of Vermont's MBA program has demonstrated significant leadership in integrating social, environmental and ethical issues into its MBA program, according to the Aspen Institute's 2009-2010 edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes, a biennial survey and alternative ranking of business schools. The school has ranked 69 on a list of the Top 100 business schools. This is the second time in the past three years the school has been recognized as a top school.

"The School of Business Administration is very pleased to be honored in this year's edition of Beyond Grey Pinstripes," said UVM's School of Business Administration Interim Dean Larry Shirland. "It represents a significant achievement for our faculty, staff, and students and it significantly contributes to the University of Vermont's goal of maintaining a national leadership role for issues relating to the environment."

While many MBA rankings exist, only one looks beyond reputation and test scores to measure something much more important" how well schools are preparing their students for the environmental, social and ethical complexities of modern-day business.

This year, 149 business schools from 24 countries participated in an 18 month effort to map the landscape of teaching and research on issues pertaining to business and society. Relevant data collected in the survey, as well as the entire "Global 100" list of business schools, is available here.

"The best business students move quickly into the front ranks of business--and the attitudes and values they bring to the table are deeply influenced by their time in business education," said Judith Samuelson, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute's Business and Society Program. "Will they accept the status quo or act on their passion about the positive role business can play at the intersection of corporate profit and social impact? The schools that are competitive in the Beyond Grey Pinstripes ranking are the real trailblazers--they assure that students have the right skill as well as the will to make things happen."

"In these challenging economic times, the general public, not just scholars, are questioning whether the established models of business are broken," said Rich Leimsider, Director of the Aspen Institute's Center for Business Education. "Beyone Grey Pinstripes schools are thoughtfully pursuing new approaches. They are preparing students who take a more holistic view of business success, one that measures financial results as well as social and environmental impacts."

School highlights from this Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey cycle are featured in a new guidebook for prospective MBA students, titled The Sustainable MBA, which is already available at Amazon.com and the Aspen Institute's publication website.

The Aspen Institute Center for Business Education (Aspen CBE) equips business leaders for the 21st century with the vision and knowledge to integrate corporate profitability and social value. We help business educators incorporate issues of social and environmental stewardship into teaching and research by offering targeted resources, networks and a platform to share cutting edge practice among peers.

As part of the Aspen Institute Business and Society Program, Aspen CBE maintains close ties with over 150 MBA programs in 28 countries. Our websites draw over 100,000 visits monthly and our events and networks attract over 1,000 participants each year.

The Aspen Institute mission is twofold: to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society, and to provide a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues.

The School of Business at the University of Vermont provides for our students a solid business education and shares the social awareness and environmental responsibility focus for which UVM is well-known. We're large enough to provide variety in course offerings and real-world contacts, but we're small enough to provide a personal touch. We support our faculty in rigorous and current research, but give priority to using that knowledge in the classroom. The School of Business at UVM combines the best of what both large and small business programs offer.