Education/training

Schulich grad thinks globally

More and more, living beyond our means isn't about how much money we spend. Rather, it's a warning that we're gobbling up natural resources at an unprecedented and dangerous rate. It's an emerging field that motivated Ashley Hegland to complete his Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Linda White
[ 2006-11-22 ]

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Schulich grad Ashley Hegland has relocated to Hong Kong as a management and corporate communications consultant.

"I am and was very passionate about corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) and also recognized that it will be an increasingly important business discipline," says the Schulich School of Business grad.

"More importantly, I believe that businesses can reduce their social and environmental impacts and be profitable. In fact, I think that this will be a key success factor for corporations in the future."

Opportunities to travel the world and see first-hand the effects of globalization helped shape Hegland's interests. The 32-year-old Calgary native completed his undergraduate degree at Miami (Ohio) University in 1996. The winner of a tennis scholarship, he majored in geology and minored in French literature.

Hegland returned to Calgary to work for Alberta Oil and Gas as a petroleum geologist. After travelling through Europe and working as an English teacher in Japan, he landed a job in Singapore as a field researcher. His responsibilities included reporting on the social and environmental impacts of the oil and gas industry in Southeast Asia.


Hegland became immersed in the emerging field of CSR. "As we become more of a global world, companies are impacting different communities. They may have head offices in Toronto in New York, but if their operations are in China, they may impact communities there," he says.

"My interest is in how a company deals with that. Companies aren't necessarily taking responsibility for how they operate in different parts of the world. It has opened my eyes to the impact globalization is having."

He headed to Australia to work for a non-governmental organization as a sustainability/CSR analyst. While there, he applied to the Schulich School of Business at York University, choosing the renowned school because it integrates sustainability/CSR into its core curriculum.

After completing his MBA in December 2005, Hegland moved to Hong Kong with his wife, a fellow Canadian who is working there as a teacher. He was hired by Edelman, a global public relations and corporate communications firm.

"I effectively work as a management consultant and corporate communications consultant, all around the concept of helping corporations benefit from better managing social and environmental risks and opportunities," Hegland says.

He credits his MBA with helping him further his career. "It helped me get my current position, but more importantly, I learned a lot about global economics and general business concepts. Best of all, I met and worked with many intelligent, interesting people and satisfied my intellectual curiosity."

It has also helped him fulfill his interest in learning about different cultures. "Life is great," Hegland says. "It is very easy to live in Hong Kong, which is a global city."

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SCHULICH SCHOOL OF BUSINESS


The Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto is ranked among the top 25 Master of Business Administration (MBA) schools in global MBA rankings.
It offers a wide range of MBA programs and specializations. Choose from year-round full-time, part-time (evening and weekend) and accelerated study options.
-Visit www.schulich.yorku.ca to learn more.



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