The University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business has retained its position as seventh best MBA programme globally for sustainability leadership in the 2025 Better World MBA rankings released today, marking the second consecutive year the African institution has achieved top ten status.
The rankings, compiled by Canadian research firm Corporate Knights, evaluate 174 top global MBA programmes on how effectively they integrate sustainability and responsible management into core teaching, as well as the impact of graduates working in sustainable companies and purpose driven organisations. The UCT programme ranked first in South Africa and Africa overall.
Dr Catherine Duggan, Director of the UCT Graduate School of Business, emphasized the institution’s focus on preparing leaders for complex future challenges. She stated that understanding impact, sustainability, leadership and technology, particularly how these issues intersect in dynamic environments, forms the core of the school’s educational approach. The motto “we shape the leaders who shape the future” reflects this commitment.
The Better World MBA rankings, now in their 13th year, award an additional 10 percent to programmes based on success in placing graduates in sustainable companies, including those listed on the Clean 200 ranking of publicly listed companies leading clean economy solutions and the Corporate Knights Global 100 most sustainable corporations. Among African representation on the 2024 Global 100, Investec Limited ranked 52nd, founded by Ian Kantor who himself holds an MBA from UCT Graduate School of Business.
Dr Wayne Moodaley, Programme Director for the Full Time MBA and expert on using artificial intelligence to improve sustainability reporting credibility, explained that AI and digital technologies are transforming how companies measure and manage their impact. The real opportunity lies in organizations using these tools to make sustainability part of core strategy rather than a separate initiative, improving decision making, risk management and long term value creation.
Global employers increasingly recognize the importance of sustainability focused education. Leading companies report that digital access, economic conditions and climate change mitigation represent the three most transformative trends for business between now and 2030. While 63 percent of global MBA applicants seek programmes incorporating sustainability, 42 percent of United States business schools offer no sustainability engagement during their MBA, and more than one third of European MBAs do not incorporate sustainability into core curriculum.
Associate Professor Caitlin Ferreira, Programme Director for the Modular MBA, described how sustainability and responsible leadership are woven through every aspect of the UCT programme, from core courses to the capstone independent study project and Responsible Citizenship module. The approach aims to create agile, future oriented leaders who make decisions with an understanding of broader implications for both business and society.
Ferreira was named a finalist for the Association of MBAs 2026 MBA Director of the Year award based largely on her work to incorporate sustainability, impact, political economy, innovation and disruptive technology throughout the MBA curriculum. The recognition came after she led significant programme overhauls to ensure students leave with cutting edge insights on impact and sustainability.
The seventh place ranking follows a year of multiple accolades for the programme and its students. The 2026 QS Global MBA Rankings placed the UCT MBA first in the Middle East and Africa while naming it among the 100 top programmes worldwide. The rankings evaluated programmes across comprehensive metrics including employability, thought leadership, return on investment, entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes.
A team of five UCT Graduate School of Business MBA students won the prestigious Geneva Challenge competition in the past year, placing first among 222 teams from 94 countries. Another MBA student attended the Berlin Global Dialogues as one of 25 Young Voices selected globally to engage directly with policymakers. These achievements demonstrate the practical application of sustainability principles taught throughout the programme.
The UCT programme improved its position by 20 places from the previous year, placing above global powerhouses including the Haas School at the University of California at Berkeley, IMD and INSEAD in the 2024 rankings. This trajectory reflects the school’s strategic focus on preparing students for leadership in diverse contexts with strong capabilities for managing challenging problems in complex and uncertain environments.
The UCT Graduate School of Business holds triple crown accreditation from three leading global bodies including AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA, placing it among only three African business schools with this comprehensive quality endorsement. The institution opened in 1964 with its first class of 17 part time MBA students and has since established itself as the pace setter for business education on the African continent.
The programme’s emphasis on sustainability addresses growing recognition that impact driven business represents an essential component of modern management education. Students increasingly view sustainability as central to their careers and purpose, reflecting an important shift in perspective from a new generation of business leaders who will drive meaningful change in organizations and broader society.
