European Business Schools Lead with New Sustainability Alliance and Emissions Transparency
European business schools form Aero alliance to lead sustainability efforts with improved carbon emissions reporting and practical environmental initiatives.
- • David Veredas leads sustainability initiatives at Vlerick Business School and heads Aero alliance.
- • Aero unites eight European business schools to promote decarbonization and transparency in emissions reporting.
- • Study of 83 schools shows inconsistencies in Scope 3 emissions disclosures.
- • Aero developed its own emissions reporting standards to address transparency challenges.
Key details
David Veredas, named sustainability director at Belgium’s Vlerick Business School last year, has led efforts to embed sustainability practically within business schools across Europe. Veredas spearheaded the creation of the Alliance for Environmental Response in Business Schools (Aero), now comprising eight prestigious European institutions including SDA Bocconi, Esade, and the Stockholm School of Economics. Aero aims to set a global standard in decarbonizing business education by sharing best practices and pushing for more transparent and standardized emissions reporting.
A recent analysis of 83 business schools revealed wide disparities in how they report Scope 3 emissions, which cover travel and procurement-related emissions. While 70 schools reported some Scope 3 emissions, less than half did so at the business school level. The report found that 86% of institutions disclosed business travel emissions, yet only 13% met comprehensive Scope 3 reporting standards across all categories. To tackle these inconsistencies, Aero developed its own emissions reporting framework and encourages transparency as key to progress.
At Vlerick, sustainability manifests through concrete practices such as geothermal energy use and waste reduction initiatives. Veredas acknowledges the complex challenge of effective carbon offsetting but remains optimistic, noting offset costs approximate just 1% of total revenues for most schools. He believes business schools must lead by example: "If we preach to students that we must reduce emissions as a society, we need to set an example. We cannot teach about this if we do not do it ourselves." Aero’s collaborative vision is to become a global beacon for business schools committed to sustainable transformation through accountability and innovation.
This article was translated and synthesized from Brazilian sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
