Sustainability Consulting: Foundations for Determining Value

Catalog description

This practicum course immerses students in the practice of applied consulting, giving them the tools to uncover and communicate the value of sustainability initiatives. In collaborative teams, students will step into the role of management consultants, working directly with a company on a real sustainability initiative using the NYU Stern CSB Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI) methodology. Students will learn how to determine where relevant data lives within the company, connect sustainability actions to measurable business benefits, and tackle the challenges of identifying data gaps that influence financial analysis. By the end of the course, students will not only strengthen their analytical and consulting skills but also develop a foundation for sustainability leadership through the following learning objectives: 1) Identify key sustainability risks and opportunities within companies 2) Conduct a benefit analysis across the ROSI framework's nine value drivers 3) Collaborate with companies on locating and evaluating data, while discovering any data gaps critical for financial benefits of sustainability initiatives 4) Deliver a project deliverable that highlights the building blocks of value measurement (data discovery, benefits analysis, and preliminary financial framing) for real-world sustainability initiatives. The class combines lectures with real-world consulting experience. Students will partner with advisors and pre-selected companies in industries such as retail and food and beverage, producing insights and recommendations that bridge the gap between sustainability and business value. Class sessions will feature guest speakers from the business community, interactive discussions, role-playing, and project-based client consulting work creating a high-energy, hands-on learning environment.