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How Nanyang Business School’s SPAN Projects Drive ESG Change in APAC

With ESG and environmental impact becoming top-of-mind issues for the business world, businesses are scrambling to solve their most intractable sustainability issues. Some turn to Nanyang Business School (NBS)’s sharpest minds by sponsoring a team through Strategy Projects at Nanyang (SPAN).

As future business leaders themselves, NBS’s MBA participants hit the ground running on sustainability issues. Through SPAN, MBA participants learn about real sustainability problems from businesses, and work to create real, workable solutions for their sponsors.

“The SPAN programme offers Nanyang Business School’s MBA participants the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to real-world business challenges,” explains SPAN academic director Goh Kia Hong. “This hands-on experience is invaluable, allowing participants to test their skills in a dynamic business environment.” 

SPAN and why sustainability matters to the Nanyang Business School

The SPAN capstone module at NBS is a collaborative effort between sponsor companies and MBA participants. They work in teams over four months to address their sponsors’ real-life industry challenges through innovative thinking.

Sustainability has become an increasing concern for SPAN’s sponsor companies, driven by regulatory pressure and a recognition of sustainability as a significant growth driver. Following this trend, more SPAN projects have zeroed in on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) themes, emphasising the Southeast Asian context.

“Many sponsor companies are at different stages of incorporating sustainability,” explains Kia Hong. “Some are at the very beginning stages, while others have already implemented sustainability programmes but are facing growth or market penetration challenges.”

Kia Hong emphasises that SPAN is designed to solve real-world issues rather than theoretical problems. “We look for real consulting projects,” he explains. “We are very clear to the sponsor: we want a real project that keeps executives awake at night.”

What SPAN teams provide to sponsors

Every SPAN project gives a sponsor company access to a diverse and experienced team of MBA participants, who contribute meaningful and strategic benefits to the job.

1. Bringing in diverse, outside-in perspectives

Each SPAN team is intentionally composed of members with varied professional and cultural experiences. “The programme’s focus on diversity within teams enhances participants’ exposure to different perspectives,” explains Kia Hong.

This diversity, along with team members’ outsider perspectives on the sponsor’s industry, helps to spark fresh insights into sponsors’ problems. “That’s the intent of any SPAN project,” explains Dr. Rachel Ooi, an associate professor at Nanyang Business School and a veteran SPAN mentor. “We want them to co-create – to challenge the client while solving the same problem and thinking differently.”

The results are often quite surprising to the sponsor company. A SPAN team mentored by Rachel recommended that their palm oil business sponsor engage with stakeholders in the broader ESG ecosystem – an idea that had not occurred to the sponsor before.

“The CEO and C-suite team said that these were amazing outside-in perspectives that they could never have done by themselves,” shares Rachel. She adds that the client remarked, “You have connected me with the ecosystem of ESG that I am not aware of.”

2. Challenging assumptions and offering alternative solutions

Sponsor companies often fail to grasp the complexity of the sustainability landscape beyond their immediate operations. “Because the clients are doing it every day, they may be stuck with what they are already doing and may not be able to look beyond their problem,” explains Kia Hong.

“Let’s say a client is providing a carbon tracking system to the cacao-growing industry and is looking at growing to other industries. But, when you go outside, the value chain can be very different!”

By asking questions that insiders might overlook, SPAN teams often challenge assumptions and stimulate creative problem-solving.

For instance, one team signed up to work with a sponsor selling sustainable products to the hospitality industry. Noticing the saturated market for green products, the team suggested a strategic shift: “Why don’t you pivot your business strategy to one where you provide sustainability consulting?” Kia Hong recalls. “There will always be somebody who can sell a cheaper, more sustainable product. And then, you’re not giving value.”

Not every recommendation is positive; sometimes, difficult truths must be shared. “We tell the students: be honest!” says Kia Hong. “We cannot tell them only what they want to hear. They are actually quite impressed by the fact that we say no.”

3. Integrating technology to improve ESG performance

Emerging technologies designed to integrate sustainability data from various systems are increasingly driving improvements in ESG performance. SPAN teams actively engage with these technologies as part of their curriculum, and are thus well-equipped to advise sponsors on how to use them effectively.

SPAN teams work on a wide range of projects that combine technology and sustainability. Many sponsors’ SPAN projects frequently seek assistance integrating new technologies into their operations.

“Some of the past sustainability-related industry projects we have undertaken include digital transformation and decarbonisation strategy for the real estate industry in Southeast Asia; applying AI and foresight methodology to scenario analysis for the Philippine power industry; and a market study on hydrogen as a sustainable energy source,” Kia Hong explains.

What SPAN teams learn from the experience

The Nanyang Business School’s SPAN capstone module resonates with graduates long after they leave the programme. It not only fast-tracks their leadership and management training, but also gives them a deeper understanding of ESG principles and their application in real-world business settings.

It’s almost inevitable that SPAN programme members become sustainability advocates in their chosen careers.

“As more companies recognise the importance of sustainability, Nanyang Business School’s MBA graduates are well-positioned to drive ESG initiatives,” Kia Hong concludes. “Their experience from SPAN will enable them to advocate for impactful ESG policies, develop sustainable business models, and contribute to their organisations’ long-term success.”

Looking to make a difference? Find out more about the SPAN programme and learn about the Nanyang Business School’s capstone projects.

About Nanyang Business School

A premier business school within a leading technological university, Nanyang Business School (NBS) is the nexus of world-class innovation, research, and business education. At NBS, we inspire innovation through interdisciplinary exploration, cultivate culturally adept leadership, and champion sustainability-driven transformation.

Learn more about our graduate programmes here: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/business/admissions/graduate-studies

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