Post by Kevin Tse

Earlier this month, I completed an incredible international exchange week in Milan, Italy, as part of my UCLA Anderson School of Management's Executive MBA program, studying Business & Sustainability at the world-renowned SDA Bocconi School of Management. This intensive course - expertly led by Professor Vitaliano Fiorillo, Ph.D. and a powerhouse team of 7 additional professors and 5 guest speakers from industry and policy - delivered the most comprehensive and thought-provoking deep dives into the global sustainability agenda that I’ve experienced to date. We tackled the major pillars of future responsible business: 🔹 2050 Sustainability Goals & Five Global Challenges 🔹 Climate Change & the Energy Transition 🔹 Circularity & Circular Business Models 🔹 EU Regulatory Framework & Compliance 🔹 ESG Reporting & Sustainable Finance 🔹 Business Ethics in the ESG Era 🔹 Corporate Decarbonization Strategies 🔹 Social Sustainability & Stakeholder Engagement Key concepts we explored included: - Decoupling GDP growth from emissions - Journey from carbon neutral ➡️ net zero ➡️ carbon positive - Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions - Navigating greenwashing vs. greenhushing - Evolving carbon markets (compliance & voluntary) - Difference between avoidance vs removal projects - Addressing human and social capital Beyond the classroom, what made this experience truly special was the people - this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will cherish forever. Grateful for the connections made with fellow SDA Bocconi EMBA students (some tagged below) and exchange students from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management (Waseem Sammann), Esade (Germán Galbeño Ruiz), and KEDGE Business School (Charles Castets, Cindy Demasure). And of course, sharing laughs, wine, and late-night food with my inspiring Anderson classmates Connie Chen, CPA, Soham Bhatt, Anastasiia Masiutkina D'Ambrosio, and Louis Maskin. ☕ Daily espresso-fueled coffee breaks 🍝 Evenings with amazing food, wine, and conversations 🏛️ Exploring the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, and Navigli canals This experience deepened my understanding of sustainability in high-impact businesses, adding another dimension to my leadership skillset. It reminded me why international experiences are essential for shaping adaptable, empathetic, and future-ready leaders. Italy, I’ll be back. #UCLAAnderson #SDABocconi #EMBAExchange #Sustainability #Leadership #GlobalBusiness Sara Mastrangelo Zsuzsa Török Wei Xun Paolo Rossetti Umberto Pavesi Carla Bellomunno Francesco Puddu GIUSEPPINA BUFFA Elisabetta Canale Andrea Castello Giulio Costanzo Maria Novellino Ilaria Bissacco Giuseppe Quaranta Luca Vitolo Joey El Rassi