Shaping future-ready leaders: The role of TASK™ in Business Education
In an era where societal expectations, economic models, and employer demands are shifting faster than ever, business schools face an urgent question: how can they remain relevant and impactful? TASK™ offers a direct and concrete answer — a strategic tool designed to meet the needs of business education in 2025 and beyond.
An innovative and disruptive initiative
TASK™ is part of a new generation of learning initiatives that bring genuine innovation to higher education.
Currently, only 14% of Higher Education Institutions can provide robust evidence of their students’ sustainability knowledge, according to the 2025 THE Impact Rankings. TASK™ changes this reality.
Indeed, TASK™ is the first benchmarking platform for sustainability knowledge — with over 50,000 assessments conducted across 80 institutions in 20 countries. For the first time, business schools can access reliable data to measure and monitor the sustainability literacy of their students.
While most institutions measure their carbon footprint, very few measure their sustainability knowledge. TASK fills that gap, turning impact measurement into a powerful driver for institutional progress.
A competitive advantage to attract students
Demographic changes, technological progress, shifting career paths, and new competitors are redefining how schools recruit and retain talent. It is no surprise that 77% of business schools report student recruitment and retention as a high or critical impact area for their strategy.
Sustainability is increasingly a decisive factor for prospective students. According to AACSB’s 2025 State of Business Education Report:
- 66% of candidates say sustainability is important to their academic experience.
- 33% would rule out a school that does not prioritize it.
- 75% value well-being initiatives addressing global challenges such as poverty and hunger.
By embedding TASK™ into their programs, institutions demonstrate a tangible commitment to societal impact — a factor that resonates strongly with students making their school choice.
Preparing students for the skills of the future
Between 2025 and 2030, many skills will evolve or become obsolete.
TASK™, and its thoughtful integration into the curriculum, helps develop the competencies that will define the next generation of leaders, including for instance:
- Resilience
- Agility
- Curiosity and lifelong learning
- Social influence
- Environmental stewardship
Adapting to employers’ new expectations
Employers today are looking for more than technical proficiency. They expect graduates to:
- Apply ethical reasoning in decision-making
- Balance stakeholder interests
- Uphold integrity in complex contexts
- Integrate sustainability into business strategy
- Operate with confidence in uncertainty
TASK™ supports business schools by embedding sustainability and ethics into curricula through actionable data and faculty resources, ensuring these critical values are not just taught but integrated throughout the learning journey. Student achievement is then recognized with the TASK™ Certificate — a credential they can present to employers as credible proof of their competencies in sustainability, and responsible management.
Shaping the business school of the future
The future business school is one that develops leaders with empathy, ethical clarity, and a deep sense of social responsibility. These qualities are necessary to build trust, navigate moral complexity, and drive meaningful impact in a digital, data-driven world.
TASK™ offers a practical way for schools to measure and strengthen their integration of sustainability into both curriculum and institutional mission. By adopting TASK™, business schools can enhance their ability to prepare graduates not just for the marketplace, but for building a more resilient and sustainable world.
