Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility

Welcome to CESR

The Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR) empowers current and future business leaders to solve social, environmental and ethical challenges. Through all our programs, we are working toward a more sustainable, inclusive and ethical world.

Like all of the Centers of Excellence, CESR serves as a bridge between the Leeds School of Business and the vibrant business community in Colorado and around the world, facilitating connections to drive student learning and professional success. Our experiential learning programs help future business leaders develop their purpose, grow their skills and build professional networks that prepare them to be generators of sustainable value for business and society at large.

We collaborate with business leaders from large corporations, consulting firms, start ups and more, and have particularly strong networks in ESG/sustainability, the natural products industry, and the clean energy industry.

We support and share faculty research related to ESG and sustainability. Student opportunities enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership and include real-world class projects working with corporations, case competitions, Career Treks, networking events, workshops and collaborations with the many vibrant student organizations at Leeds.

We provide continuing learning for working professionals through our Certificate in ESG Strategy and Climate Action for Business executive education programs.

Image of Mike Hilgendorf, the interviewee

Propelling the Energy Transition Forward: Career Advice From an MBA Alum

Mike Hilgendorf ( MBA ‘20 ) is a Leeds Alum currently working at FTI Consulting as a Director in the Power, Renewables and Energy Transition group. During his time at Leeds, he became the president of Leeds Social Impact Consultants and the Net Impact Case Competition . Mike has played...

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Cultivating a Sustainable Future: The Investability of Regenerative Agriculture Technology

Tips to Start Your Sustainable Business Career Search

ESG training supports alum’s new social impact career

Upcoming Events

ESG and Sustainability MBA Pathway

Drive business solutions to environmental, social and governance challenges.

Clean Energy Pathway for MBAs

Lead the clean energy transition and fight climate change with a career in one of the fastest growing industries.

Natural & Organic Pathway for MBAs

This pathway includes core classes and co-curricular programming offered by CESR, with additional programming through MENV, which introduce MBA students to industry specific skills and knowledge, preparing students to enter the workplace with vision and experience.

Social Responsibility and Ethics Certificate

CESR offers the Certificate in Social Responsibility and Ethics (SRE) to undergraduate business students who seek to distinguish themselves in the field of socially responsible business, whether their unique interests lie in environmental sustainability, social entrepreneurship, business ethics or values-driven leadership.

Certificate in ESG Strategy

Develop skills in ESG, CSR, and sustainable business strategy with this online course designed for working professionals.

Faculty Affiliates Program

Learn about Leeds faculty who integrate sustainability and ESG topics into their research and teaching.

Support CESR

Donate to support CESR's business research and co-curricular programming in areas of diversity and inclusion, business solutions to environmental challenges and ethical leadership.

Support CESR with a donation