Alongside the strategic goals of BBS as a Responsible and Sustainable University, we have launched a number of initiatives in recent years with the active involvement of our internal community. We trust that the list will be continuously expanded and that many new initiatives will be launched in the spirit of conscious and responsible thinking and action. While in no means is this a complete list, we have summarised the results so far and the main projects in line with the strategic goals, in order to help you connect with us.
Responsible Education and Research
- Responsible and Sustainable Corporation course - Unique in the region, starting in our 2017 curriculum and onwards, it is a compulsory subject in all Bachelor business programmes, in all Faculties and all forms of learning, in both English and Hungarian. To date, nearly 5,000 students have gained a deeper knowledge of sustainability within the scope of this subject.
- Institution of Higher Education Excellence Programme - As part of the SME research project launched in 2018, we focused on the sustainability and ecological footprint of SMEs and businesses for people with disabilities.
- ISSUE (Innovative Solutions for Sustainability in Education) – In the Erasmus+ project which began in November 2018, we are working as a coordinator with 5 European universities and 3 professional organisations to develop various educational tools for the university community, based on the principles and goals of sustainable development. Part of this for example, is the attitude-shaping, 21-day challenge or the thematic escape room, where players have the opportunity to save our planet through their conscious choices.
- International Scientific Conference on Sustainability - A sustainability conference based on student research was organised by Y.E.S. (Youth Enrichment Society) with the involvement and assistance of a student organisation in the spring semesters of 2018 and 2019.
Developing our Inner Community
- Introduction of a Code of Ethics - With the involvement of our internal community, we have renewed the BBS Code of Ethics, which will soon be supplemented with an e-learning module. This renewed Code will help in the deepening of the topic among stakeholders.
- Volunteer Program - In 2019, the Sustainability Centre initiated and implemented the Volunteering Week series of events, where enthusiastic students and colleagues were able to join 13 different programs. In total, more than 150 volunteers in the program helped NGOs for 400 hours!
- Launch of Family-friendly initiatives - In addition to infrastructural developments, family-friendly solution for events will play a key role, and home office regulations will also help in flexible work schedules.
- BBS Day - In 2019, conscious and sustainable thinking played a central role in the first BBS Day: we used a recyclable cups to reduce plastic waste and held a charity cauldron cooking event where the food was delivered to those in need by the Budapest Bike Maffia.
- Plastic Ocean Film Screening - In collaboration with JÖN (Eco Generation of the Future) Foundation, the BBS Night of Researchers hosted the Hungarian premiere of the film Plastic Ocean. The film, which according to Sir David Attenborough, is the most important work of our time, was seen by more than 70 participants.
Responsibility for the Natural Environment
- Establishing solar investments on suitable university buildings - there are now solar units in every BBS Faculty.
- In 2018 we joined the Greenmetric international measurement system, which was developed specifically for universities and makes the environmental performance of individual institutions comparable.
- At the initiative of a colleague, a Bird-friendly project was launched at the Faculty of Finance and Accountancy.
- We developed a recommendation for responsible sourcing for BBS-branded gifts in conjunction with the procurement team.
- At all central events, we continuously work alongside sustainability recommendations and also perform carbon footprint measurements.
Our External Stakeholder Relations
- At the annual conference of the Network of International Business Schools (NIBS) in China, our international sustainability conference was included in the group of TOP 3 best practices, which we also presented at the event.
- At the EURASHE event in Budapest, “Future Students. Future Universities. Future Jobs”, we organised a workshop on sustainability issues.
- We organised a Greenmetric workshop in Szeged to coincide with the visit of our Indonesian university colleague, who helped us launch this initiative.
- We established a close cooperation with the BCSDH (Business Council for Sustainable Development in Hungary) in connection with ISSUE and other projects.
Please find more and detailed information on our sustainability efforts in the first integrated report of Budapest Business School.
Would you like to contribute to our sustainability efforts?
Click here to review our Connect with Us! page. If you have any further questions, please write to us at fenntarthatosag@uni-bge.hu!