The School of Business has organised the second edition of its Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) programme to engage with the corporate world.
The event was aimed at deepening the relationship between academia and industry to provide entrepreneurial and employment opportunities for students.
The second edition of the programme featured the Head of Strategy and Transaction at EY Ghana, Mrs. Alice Osei Okrah and CEO of Think3ice LBG, Mrs. Yvonne Dzotsi.
Presenting on the topic: " Infusing Environmental, Social Governance" Mrs. Alice Osei Okrah, explained the need for students to take Environmental, Social and Governance(ESG) seriously in their business endeavours, asking them to enrol in ESG courses.
"ESG is a set of standards that checks how the operations of companies impact on the environment, how employees are treated and how companies uphold corporate governance," she explained.
Head of Strategy and Transaction at EY Ghana, Mrs. Alice Osei Okrah
Mrs. Okrah pointed out that ESG had become core part of the world of business and insisted that students should leverage on it to build their professional capacities.
To her, it was essential for the School of Business to introduce ESG into its curriculum to imbibe the ESG agenda in students.
She explained that hordes of people in the business industry had adopted and integrated ESG strategies into their business operations.
A section of students at the programme
Mrs. Okrah admitted that ESG was expensive in the short term, however, she was quick to add that there were numerous benefits in the long term.
She disclosed that the Bank of Ghana and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had launched special guidelines to check agencies under them, stressing that, " ESG enhances resource efficiency and sustainable production and consumption and financial institutions look favorably on entities with such policies."
Mrs. Okrah pointed out that goals 16 and 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) fit into the ESG principles.
For her part, the CEO of Think3ice LBG, Mrs. Yvonne Dzotsi, who presented on:" Skills for Job Skills for Development”, emphasised the need for students to develop both hard and soft skills to fit into the competitive job market.
According to her, employers were no longer interested in academic certificates of job seekers, but considered the requisite skills of job hunters as the basis for engaging new staff.
"There are millions of students who are just as intelligent as you are. But what is going to make you stand out is the skill you have. You can attain various skills online and by attending workshops. Employers are not looking for certificates now, that is old school.," she added
The Dean of the School of Business, Professor John Gatsi, in his welcome address, reiterated the commitment of the School to develop the right skills of students for the job market.
He said the School had placed premium on internships to equip students with the required work experience.
He, therefore, appealed to industry stakeholders to support the School with internship opportunities to enable students to improve and develop their skills to meet their expectations.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rosemond Boohene, encouraged the students to build networks with business magnates to open chances for them in the business world.
Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rosemond Boohene