More than ever, organizations are being held accountable for their role in environmental impact. In the Middle East, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles are becoming a cornerstone of sustainable growth as the region moves from oil dependence to a diversified, knowledge-based economy. Yet, despite strong policy progress and ambition, the gap between awareness and action remains wide.

“Many companies have ESG strategies on paper, but far fewer produce detailed reports or disclose measurable outcomes,” says Stuart Whent, Chief Operating Officer of Kaplan Middle East & North Africa. “This stems not from resistance but from limited understanding and confidence in applying sustainability principles credibly. When awareness becomes capability, intent finally turns into meaningful implementation.”

While most organizations have formal sustainability frameworks, many still treat ESG as a compliance exercise rather than a strategic lens guiding decisions, whether in terms of project design or resource management. According to PwC’s 2024 data, eight in 10 companies in the Middle East now have a sustainability strategy (up from 64% in 2023), yet one in three still cite a lack of internal skills as their biggest challenge.

“The next generation of leaders will need to navigate increasing complexity with both technical capability and moral clarity,” Whent adds. “Our role, as educators, is to help them bring those qualities together and understand that the decisions they make today will shape the systems we all depend on tomorrow.”

Léon Laulusa, Dean of ESCP Business School, echoes this, adding that the task goes beyond teaching. It’s about reshaping the very DNA of business and leadership education. “Today’s students will be leading tomorrow’s businesses, political institutions, and civic organizations,” says Laulusa. “They will need to navigate a world where climate change and associated challenges have redefined the rules of the game.”

Companies, meanwhile, are feeling the urgency firsthand. As they compete for talent capable of driving sustainability goals, they increasingly recognize that education plays a decisive role in shaping the future workforce. 

“Educators are fundamental in shaping how future professionals think about sustainability — not as a box to tick, but as a way of living and creating,” says Elie Naaman, Co-Founder and CEO of Ellington Properties. “When students are exposed early to real-world sustainability challenges, they develop a deeper sense of responsibility and curiosity.”

THE RIGHT SKILLS, AT THE RIGHT TIME 

Educators are increasingly aware of their responsibility not only to teach sustainability skills but to ensure they align with the region’s broader ambitions. Whent says Kaplan introduced an accredited learning pathway dedicated to sustainability and ESG foundations. 

“This was developed in response to the growing demand from professionals and organizations across the GCC for a high-quality, locally relevant learning experience rooted in real-world application,” he says. 

The program enables students to tailor their learning to specific sectors, ranging from sustainable finance and energy transition to public-sector transformation, ensuring that each module reflects practical, market-relevant scenarios.

The need for timely, future-focused curricula is echoed by Laulusa, who says sustainability is not an elective but a requirement. “With 100% of ESCP students trained in sustainability, we ensure that everyone, whether studying finance, marketing, or digital transformation, develops a sustainability mindset relevant to their field.”

ESCP embeds what it calls the Sustainability Fingerprint into every program, built around four pillars: systems thinking, science-based learning, navigating complexity, and going beyond conventional business logic. 

From a skills standpoint, the priorities are clear. “The ability to think holistically, interpret data through a sustainability lens, and turn strategy into tangible results is critical,” says Whent. “Equally important are the mindsets that underpin these skills, curiosity, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement.” 

Naaman adds that sustainability is a mindset that extends beyond construction. “It’s about nurturing a culture of awareness, creativity, and responsibility.”

BRIDGING ACADEMIA AND INDUSTRY 

Beyond developing the right skills, collaboration between academia and the private sector is vital to accelerating ESG education. In the GCC region, such partnerships are becoming a cornerstone of transformation. 

“Collaboration with businesses and developers bridges the gap between classroom learning and the realities of sustainable development,” says Whent. “When universities and companies work together, learning becomes hands-on. Students can take part in real projects, see how sustainability goals are implemented, and understand the trade-offs and opportunities that come with them.”

Kaplan maintains ongoing partnerships with universities and organizations across the region, integrating sustainability and ESG principles into both academic and professional learning. “These partnerships go beyond sponsorships,” Whent says. “They are shared platforms for measurable impact, designed to equip the next generation of leaders to drive purpose-led growth and build a resilient, low-carbon future for the Middle East and beyond.”

Companies play a critical role in turning sustainability theory into practice. Naaman says, “As developers, we see our role as complementing the educational process through hands-on learning opportunities, mentorship, and exposure to real-world sustainability practices. He adds that by sharing insights in green building standards, material innovation, and energy-efficient design, companies can support universities in developing low-carbon campuses.

Naaman envisions deeper collaboration through “living laboratories” — campuses that not only teach sustainability but also demonstrate it in practice. “Through intelligent design, renewable energy use, and community-oriented spaces, universities can model what sustainable living truly looks like,” he says. 

Providing an example, Whent shares that through the Ellington Art Foundation, the company partners with educational institutions such as the American University of Sharjah to inspire the next generation of designers and architects to think critically about how design can create social and environmental impact. 

“Through such initiatives, we aim to shape a generation that views sustainability not as a trend but as a creative responsibility that drives innovation and design excellence,” says Naaman.

According to Whent, this is education’s greatest strength: bringing together communities that rarely share the same table. “When that collaboration takes hold, learning becomes more than skill-building; it becomes a catalyst for transformation,” he says. “That is how education can make its most enduring contribution to the region’s sustainability journey.”

However, the sector still needs to evolve from transferring knowledge to cultivating the courage and imagination to act. Whent says, “Education must do more than inform, it must inspire and create measurable impact,” he says. 

Sustainability and performance are no longer opposing goals — they are deeply interdependent, adds Whent. “The task now is to equip future leaders to see the bigger picture, collaborate across disciplines, and measure success through long-term value creation.”