Working Together for a Greener Tomorrow: WHU Joins AERO Network

Rooms outfitted with energy-efficient LEDs, solar panels on the roof, charging stations for electric vehicles right on campus, and the use of recyclable materials in the cafeteria—there are several ways for universities to reduce their carbon footprints. And eight renowned business schools are wasting no time in learning from each other’s experiences and pursuing a carbon-neutral future of their own, banding together as the AERO network. The alliance held their kick-off meeting at the Belgium-based Vlerick Business School in February.

“No one, no entity—certainly not universities—can or should ignore sustainability and the reduction of carbon emissions,” noted Professor Christian Andres, Dean of WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, the only German institution of higher education participating in this new network. “As such, these topics take a central role in our curricula, our research activities, and even simply in our day-to-day at WHU. The AERO network provides us an important venue where we can collaboratively develop innovative solutions quicker and share any helpful experiences.”

“AERO,” which comes from the Esperanto word for “air,” is now also code for the “Alliance for Environmental Response in Business Schools,” and WHU’s participation in the network is largely due to the initiative taken by Professor Nadine Kammerlander, who heads the school’s Chair of Family Business. With the founding of this new alliance, the eight participating schools have pledged to exchange ideas, set common goals, and work together on projects aimed at reducing their carbon footprints. The network is the first of its kind, assuming an approach that will allow member organizations to implement concrete measures on their premises. To date, the universities have engaged with more zoomed-out sustainability-related initiatives, incorporating relevant topics into its research or curricula. 

One of the network’s most pertinent topics is to be the balancing and reduction of scope 3 emissions in accordance with the standards outlined in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. Scope 3 emissions generally account for the largest share of an organization’s carbon footprint. For internationally oriented organizations, travel is the biggest culprit, with school employees commuting to work and students moving closer to campus or embarking on semesters abroad.

The AERO network is scheduled to meet twice a year online and once a year in person.

AERO network members:

• Esade Business School (Spain)
• ESSEC Business School (France)
• Kozminski University (Poland)
• SDA Bocconi School of Management (Italy)
• Stockholm School of Economics (Sweden)
• University of St. Gallen (Switzerland)
• Vlerick Business School (Belgium)
• WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management (Germany)