College of the Atlantic tears down the walls between traditionally siloed disciplines to spark innovation and to solve problems from multiple perspectives.  A study of Human Ecology would be incomplete without looking at one of the world’s most ubiquitous activities — business.  The most entrepreneurial businesses are cross functional; they communicate between marketing, finance, operations and other departments.  By connecting the values of Human Ecology with the skills to work within existing societal frameworks, the Sustainable Business Program helps prepare students to effectively pursue their dreams of creating social and environmental change.

COA's sustainable business courses incorporate the bodies of knowledge essential to business — strategic planning, finance, accounting, marketing and management.  Our courses have a strong experiential and multidisciplinary component as well as a focus on sustainability as a fundamental connecting theme.

For COA students who want to focus on sustainable business, the curriculum offers a management approach, incorporating a variety of stakeholders in its decision making.  The program enables graduates to function in an entrepreneurial manner in environments ranging from start-ups and large corporations to activist groups and policy organizations.

The Sustainable Business program is overseen by Jay Friedlander, the Sharpe-McNally Chair of Green and Socially Responsible Business.  It was founded with the generous support of Henry and Peggy Sharpe and Jay McNally '84.