Opportunities for Advancing ESG Principles through Academic–Workforce Collaborations

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles create value for the organizations that practice them and for the people they serve. Most ESG efforts—and literature—have centered on the finance industry. Whereas the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry has increased its focus on ESG over the past couple of decades, the literature is sparse in its treatment of the topic, especially as it relates to AEC workforce development. Further, most literature on academic–industry partnerships focus on research, rather than education. To advance ESG in the AEC industry, academic programs must prepare its graduates with relevant knowledge, skills, and abilities; accreditation is one of the most prominent drivers that shapes academic programs, and hence, the capabilities of graduates. Using policies and practices from the US Army Corps of Engineers and accreditation requirements from the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, this illustrative case study illuminates some of the opportunities related to advancing ESG in the AEC industry through collaborative engineering education and practice. Thus, this research addresses gaps in the body of knowledge relative to both AEC workforce development and academic–industry partnerships centered in ESG principles and practices.