Corporate Ethics & Sustainability Now Key Factors Driving Job Decisions For Business School Students

Ethical behavior and sustainable business practices are becoming decisive factors for business school candidates when it comes to accepting job offers, says a new study.

The finding comes from the 2025 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Prospective Students Survey, which gathers insights from aspiring business school students around the world.

This year’s report introduced a new question asking whether an employer’s ethical and sustainable practices would impact a respondent’s decision to accept a job offer.

According to the results, 68% of those taking part said these practices would significantly influence their choice, including 46% who agreed and 22% who strongly agreed.

This growing focus on corporate ethics and responsibility builds on previous years’ findings that candidates are increasingly motivated by social impact and sustainability, not just in their studies but in their future careers.

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Women and millennials show stronger preferences for ethical employers

While the report showed ethical and sustainable business is a priority across the board, some demographic groups were more likely to factor these considerations into their career decisions.

Among women, 50% agreed that a potential employer’s practices would impact their decision to accept a job offer, with another 25% strongly agreeing. Men were slightly less likely to share this view.

The data also suggested that millennial candidates feel more strongly about this than younger candidates. Among millennial respondents, 27% strongly agreed that an employer’s ethical and sustainable practices would influence their decision to accept a job offer, compared with 19% of Gen Z candidates.

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Most candidates believe companies have a social responsibility

The survey also explored how prospective students view the broader role of business in society. A large majority (85%) said they believe corporations have a social responsibility to the countries and people that support them.

At the same time, 37% of respondents said they would prefer that global corporations did not get involved in social or political events or conflicts.

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Prospective students prioritize schools with social impact commitments

The survey also asked prospective students about the role of social and environmental values in their choice of business school.

When it comes to sustainability, 63% of respondents said it is important or very important for a school to actively support and incorporate it into the academic experience. Of those candidates, 34% said they would not consider attending a school that does not support sustainability.

Close to three-quarters (73%) of respondents said it is important or very important that health and well-being is actively incorporated at business school, and 46% said they would not consider a school that doesn’t support student health and well-being.  

The survey indicated that prospective students continue to weigh both practical and values-based factors in their decisions. Alongside demand for AI skills, hands-on experience, and in-person learning, candidates also place consistent importance on ethics, sustainability, and social responsibility. 

Elsewhere, the GMAC survey also highlighted a shift in candidates’ preferences when it came to in-person vs online learning. Citing the growing shift towards ‘return to office’ mandates at large multinationals as a contributing factor, it revealed aspiring business school students increasingly preferred to learn inside the classroom.