11.02.2006 - 04:57pm ET

(CSRwire) (Bainbridge Island, WA) Bainbridge Graduate Institute, according to Net Impact's Business as Unusual: The 2006 Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs, ranks #1 in sustainable business education.

Net Impact is an international organization of more than 10,000 business leaders, experts, entrepreneurs and students committed to using business to make a positive impact on our world. Students at each of 89 business schools, including 22 of the top 25 business schools as ranked by the Wall Street Journal, were surveyed on 20 questions.

In addition to its overall number one ranking, Bainbridge Graduate Institute (BGI) took first place in 12 of the 20 categories. Duke, Boston College and Case Western scored best on two of the twenty categories. Harvard, Stanford, Darden, Cornell and seven others had top scores on one factor.

BGI was #1 in preparation for ethical and socially responsible leadership, #1 in environmental sustainability, #1 in corporate social responsibility, #1 in community development and #1 in student helpfulness. BGI was also #1 in faculty support for Net Impact themes [social and environmental responsibility] in both the curriculum and in extracurricular activities, #1 in administrative support of Net Impact themes in both the curriculum and extracurricular activities, and again # 1 in student support for Net Impact themes in both the curriculum and extracurricular activities.

BGI was in the top ten finishers in 15 of the 20 questions. Duke's Fuqua School and Simmons School of Management both scored in the top 10 on 14 questions, with Yale School of Management scoring in the top 10 on 13 questions.

"We thought we were the best, but it's very satisfying to have it confirmed so strongly. First place in 12 out of 20 categories is almost hard to take in and quite an accomplishment for a school that is less than five years old. We are so grateful to the staff, faculty, donors and students who made it happen," says BGI President and Cofounder, Gifford Pinchot. "The larger story here is that bringing sustainability into the business curriculum is finally a rapidly growing movement. Big, prestigious schools are joining the sustainable business education game. We launched BGI to trigger that transformation. It's great to see the movement take hold. And it is particularly sweet to see that we're leading."

Net Impact's, Business as Unusual The 2006 Student Guide to Graduate Business Programs can be downloaded for free at:

www.http://www.netimpact.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=1020


About Bainbridge Graduate Institute

BGI was born four years ago when co-Founder and President, Gifford Pinchot, a renowned business consultant, realized that the nation's graduate business schools were churning out one-dimensional MBA graduates with solid short-term profit-maximization skills, but lacking a deep understanding of how to integrate social and environmental issues into business decisions.

"As business leaders become more dominant in shaping our society and as business has increasing impact on climate and planetary life support systems, it is deeply important that business leaders take a broader view of their responsibilities," Pinchot says.

The Institute's pioneering MBA and certificate programs prepare a diverse group of leaders to build enterprises that are economically successful, socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. The innovative curriculum preserves the rigor of a traditional MBA program, while infusing sustainability--including both environmental and social responsibility--throughout every course.

Enrollments in BGI's programs have increased from 14 the first year, to 34 the second, 54 the third, 95 the fourth and 146 in this fifth year--growing over 50% in each of the last four years.

The MBA in Sustainable Business meets face-to-face once a month for a long weekend; the rest occurs in a lively interactive online community. Most BGI students work full time. Classes are held at Islandwood on Bainbridge Island, Washington, just outside of Seattle, as well as in downtown Seattle. Its programs currently attract students from across the US and Canada.

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