By Francesca Di Meglio

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE.  The Yale School of Management (SOM) in New Haven, Conn., which had one of the first programs to combine business with environmental studies, remains strongly involved in the area of environmental management. Its joint program with the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies was launched in 1982 and has produced more than 110 graduates.

Garry Brewer, the Frederick K. Weyerhaeuser professor at SOM, created the program at Yale and 10 years later led the development of a similar course of study at the University of Michigan before returning to SOM. Brewer admits that convincing environmentalists and future managers to study together was difficult at first. But there's no question that the two camps are starting to notice their mutual interests.

The bottom line certainly figures prominently into the decision to become greener. B-schools follow the lead of recruiters, some of whom are making the environment a priority -- not just because it's the right thing to do, but also because there are economic benefits.

SCOUTING SUSTAINABILITY.  General Electric (GE ), which is on the Dow Jones Sustainability index, a list of top companies in the area, recently launched Ecomagination, an initiative to create products and solutions that benefit society at large and also bring in money.

"It's pretty exciting when making the world a better place for your children's children can also be profitable," says Julie Taylor, manager of commercial development programs for GE in the company's Fairfield, Conn., headquarters. GE is looking to hire people who understand sustainability, she adds. Other companies, including Hewlett-Packard (HPQ ), have said they have an interest in students who have studied sustainability issues.

Mark Starik, professor of strategic management & public policy at GWU, says he expects there to be a doubling of material pertaining to sustainability in core courses over the next five years.

Most educators agree that recruiters will increasingly look for students who are at least aware of these social and environmental issues. Students want to better align their personal values with their career goals and still make a profit. Green money, it seems, is rising in value.

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