Griffith Business School’s continued leadership in responsible business education has been recognised on the world stage, with the Griffith MBA awarded the AAA classification, the highest possible rating, in CEO Magazine’s 2026 Green MBA Index.
The accolade places Griffith Business School among a select group worldwide demonstrating exceptional and consistent integration of sustainability across their MBA programs.
The Green MBA Index is an independent, evidence-based assessment that goes beyond reputation, evaluating how deeply sustainability is embedded across five key dimensions: curriculum, experiential learning, research and thought leadership, institutional environment, and graduate pathways. The AAA distinction is reserved for institutions that show strong evidence of impact across every one of these criteria.
MBA Director, Professor Naomi Birdthistle, said the recognition reflected years of deliberate work to place sustainability and responsible leadership at the heart of the Griffith MBA experience.
“This AAA rating is a proud moment for our entire MBA community,” Professor Birdthistle said. “It confirms what we have long believed, that preparing effective business leaders and preparing responsible ones are not separate goals, but the same goal. Our students graduate not only with the strategic and commercial skills to lead organisations, but with the judgement to lead them in a way that creates lasting value for society and the planet.”
The Griffith MBA was among the first programs of its kind to build its curriculum around the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, underpinning every course with three core values: responsible leadership, sustainable business practices, and an Asia-Pacific perspective. That foundation has helped the program build a sustained track record of recognition, including first place globally in the Corporate Knights Better World MBA Ranking since 2020 and Tier One status in CEO Magazine’s Global MBA Rankings.
Professor Birdthistle said the AAA rating was the result of contributions from across the Griffith community.
“Achievements like this don’t happen in isolation,” she said. “They’re built by our academic and professional staff who design and deliver a genuine[NB1] values-led curriculum, by students and alumni who take these principles out into their organisations and communities, and by the industry partners who work alongside us to create real-world learning experiences.”
To learn more about the Griffith MBA, visit griffith.edu.au/study/mba-management
