Sustainable Business of the Environmentally Conscious

From early childhood, I used to hear that Gilgit Baltistan was a small heaven. Its natural environment is healing. It is colorful and full of life. However, as time progresses, little heaven has become overcrowded with business and tourism. It worries me. I studied my early years of education till HSSC under the AKU Examination Board. The system is considered as the strongest foundation that prepares students for higher education and beyond. In many of our field trips, part of the AKU-EB rigorous curriculum, I learned about ethical decision making in business and critical evaluation of those decisions. It was appealing to me how business and environment interact with each other and impact one another.

With a strong interest in pursuing business administration, I want to explore how business administration can address sustainability and environmental impact of businesses. In the northern areas of Pakistan, I have seen a growing concern over environmental degradation, over tourism, pollution, water scarcity and wildlife disturbance. All these challenges call for actions including impact assessments, green-innovations, and sustainable and responsible practices in business. If business fails to be ecologically conscious, northern areas of Pakistan will continue facing natural disasters, health challenges and safety concerns. I hope that in five years from now, I will be a part of the team that promotes sustainable business growth. I aspire to help businesses grow sustainably. I am grateful to have been a part of an education system that allowed me to think out of the box, guiding me to pursue my ideas and passion. AKU-EB’s commitment to student development is reflected in its assessment practices, which are designed to measure not only students' knowledge but also their practical skills and ability to apply concepts to real-world situations. This is what I have always experienced during our field trips and classwork. Now, at the university level, I have the skills and knowledge necessary to handle some of the most complex tasks that require critical thinking, strong ideas, teamwork, research, and presentations. My advice to students is to stay curious, learn and relearn. AI is already shaping the future. It is therefore important to cultivate a thirst for more knowledge to upgrade oneself beyond the IA world. Naeem Ullah Baig BBA Institute of Business Administration, Karachi