Business students plant trees as a thank you for their education

Business sustainability students plant tress to thank organizations for interviews on October 8 (Jamie Dowsett, CTV News)

WINNIPEG — Instead of handing out mugs as a thank you for job interviews, some business sustainability students from the Asper School of Business grabbed shovels and set to work planting a few trees.

At least 25 of them were planted in Winnipeg’s Fort Garry neighbourhood Friday.

Their professor calls the group inspiring and that it is a positive sign to see such concern over the future where the world is facing challenges on many fronts.

“The kind of sustainability we’re after is also where social and ecological well-being are more important than maximizing profits,” said Bruno Dyck, a professor at the school.

Despite being for-profit, most of the organizations involved were clear there were more important things than money.

Dyck said that belief was driven home by the students themselves, who know the world is facing global issues like climate change, systemic racism, and economic inequalities.

“They are saying to us, ‘Come on guys, teach us to be a force for good in this world.’ I’ve been working in that field for a while now anyway, but it’s really quite striking that this new cohort of students are quite interested and demanding that,” said Dyck.

As an educator, Dyck said seeing the upcoming generation leading the way to a more sustainable future is a positive sign.

“To see the idealism and the desire to make the world a better place really is quite inspiring.”