Global Investments, Sustainable Returns: Rethinking FDI Through the Lens of Sustainability and Intergenerational Equity

Abstract

This paper builds on insights from my forthcoming book Global Investments, Sustainable Returns to propose a forward-looking framework for embedding sustainability, responsibility, and intergenerational equity into business education. It argues that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)—traditionally assessed through financial metrics—must also be evaluated for its environmental and social impact, particularly in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ESG principles.
Using a cross-sectoral, international lens, and drawing on a mixed-method approach that combines comparative case studies, sectoral analysis, and policy review, the paper explores how business schools can integrate responsible investment models into curricula that prepare students to become responsible global minds. It showcases successful FDI strategies that generate sustainable value and identifies key challenges such as regulatory fragmentation and access to sustainable finance.
The connection between FDI and educational innovation lies in using real-world sustainable investment strategies as teaching tools—enabling students to analyse live policy challenges, develop critical thinking, and engage with ethical dilemmas linked to global capital flows. Through project-based learning and interdisciplinary case studies rooted in FDI contexts, students develop systems thinking, intercultural awareness, and strategic reasoning. This pedagogical approach equips future graduates with the values, competencies, and mindset needed to navigate global investment responsibly and lead transformative change.
The paper contributes to the IBE-ReGloMi mission by offering practical pathways for curricular innovation that reflect today’s interconnected, volatile, and sustainability-driven global business environment. It repositions business education as a platform for inclusive, long-term development—beyond short-term market returns.