Sustainability & Social Impact

UNSW Business School’s sustainability and social impact courses equip you with the relevant skills to succeed. This includes the ability to help businesses adapt, innovate and lead in a world where areas like Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and sustainable practices are central to business success. You will graduate ready to create long-term value, balancing profit with purpose across business, government and not-for-profit sectors.

The time to lead positive change is now

Businesses can no longer ignore their impact on individuals, society and the environment. Sustainability and social impact are now mainstream business priorities, reshaping industries and redefining what success looks like. As a result, the world is in need of problem-solving leaders who will drive progress for all. 

Empower yourself with a qualification in business, social impact and sustainability from UNSW, and you will gain highly employable skills that are in growing demand across a range of sectors. Whether you want to drive innovation, shape policy or launch your own social enterprise, this program prepares you for a rewarding career where you can make a meaningful difference.

How do business, social impact and sustainability intersect?

Business goals have expanded beyond commercial success in recent years. Increasingly, they’re focused on sustainability and social impact, with customers demanding the businesses they engage with are doing good in the world. 

Business sustainability is about integrating Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors into decision-making to ensure businesses operate responsibly, manage risks and create long-term value. Social impact focuses on understanding the role and impacts of business on people and society, and building a social license to operate.  

Leaders in sustainability and social impact focus on creating sustainable, social, entrepreneurial and systemic change in many settings. Think corporate, government, not-for-profit and more. 

Founder of Heart & Soul Story Samantha Heron started her social enterprise after completing a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact at UNSW. She says “social impact is about working to make a difference, to produce positive outcomes and enhance the overall quality of life for communities.” 

Why study a sustainability and social impact course?

Some of the most exciting opportunities in business today combine profit with purpose. UNSW’s courses in social impact and sustainability are your chance to be the change you want to see in the world. You will gain the understanding and real-world experience to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, communities and the environment by driving change through business initiatives. 

Our sustainability and social impact programs prepare you to:

• Analyse and interpret ESG and social impact data to make informed business decisions

• Drive innovation and transformation across business functions, from finance and accounting to management and HR

• Leverage business as a powerful force for social good, balancing profit with purpose

• Navigate cross-sector collaboration, working with businesses, social enterprises, governments and not-for-profits to create sustainable solutions

Whether you study our Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in business sustainability and social smpact, or one of our many postgraduate programs, you will build deep expertise in social entrepreneurship, innovation, investment and governance, gaining the knowledge to lead in a rapidly evolving global economy.

Why choose UNSW?

Join Australia's #1 Business School 

Study with the best at Australia's #1 Business School (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Boss, 2024). You will gain a highly-respected business education that leads the way in career impact, quality and reputation. 

Get hands-on experience and grow your network
Make strides towards your future career by gaining vital hands-on skills through work experience, internships and global practicum opportunities. Get involved in initiatives within the Centre for Social Impact, an industry-leading alliance of Australian universities that provides education, tools and evidence-based research to help catalyse social change for a better world. 

Gain a competitive edge with employability
UNSW is known for its graduate employability, with UNSW awarded the Most Employable students for six years in a row (Australian Financial Review (AFR) Top100 Future Leaders Awards, 2020-2025). Plus, studying social impact at UNSW means you will become part of an urgently required new generation of global leaders with a socially and environmentally conscious framework.

Careers in sustainability and social impact 

A course in social impact and sustainability will set you up for a career where you can drive meaningful change. Industry demand is rapidly growing for experts across business, social impact and sustainability – so you’ll be at the top of the pile for job opportunities when you graduate.

Brent Hedley, who studied a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact at UNSW, is an Executive Officer at the Football Futures Foundation, which aims to change lives through football. “I have two main goals: to enhance the efficacy of our initiatives at the Football Futures Foundation and to evolve as a leader capable of inspiring and enacting significant social change,” says Hedley. 

“The knowledge and skills gained in the course aren’t just academic accolades, but tools that empower me to develop impactful strategies in the real world.”

Graduates like Brent are already shaping the future of business in high-impact roles. Imagine yourself making waves in roles like:

• Chief Sustainability Officers at a Fortune 500 company
• ESG Investment Manager steering millions in impact investments
• Social Entrepreneur launching game-changing ventures
• High-paid Sustainability Consultant helping businesses transform
• Corporate Innovation Leader driving sustainable strategies at major brands.

Some of the job titles you might come across in your career include:

• Social policy manager 
• ESG consultant 
• Sustainability consultant
• Social responsibility manager in the corporate sector 
• Social entrepreneur
• Social policy manager
• Social and ethical investment professional
• Social impact educator or corporate trainer
• Not-for-profit leader