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Beyond Grey Pinstripes is a ranking of full-time MBA programs which assesses and scores schools based on the integration of social, ethical, and environmental content into the curricula and faculty research. Participation is open to accredited US business schools and to international business programs recognized as leading institutions in their regions.

The survey results and ranking are published biennially. The first instance of the Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey and ranking was published in October 1999 by the World Resources Institute in partnership with the Aspen Institute. Prior to this in 1998, the World Resources Institute created Grey Pinstripes with Green Ties, a report that examined the inclusion of environmental management topics in 37 MBA programs. Since 2007, the survey and rankings have been managed solely by the Aspen Institute Center for Business Education. In the 2009-2010 survey, 63% of participating schools were located in the US. The remaining 37% were located throughout 24 countries. The most recent publication, to be released in September 2011, includes information from 149 schools from 22 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa.

Data collected through the survey process are made public, and may be accessed and downloaded via an online database hosted on the ranking’s website. School profiles typically include course listings and syllabi submitted by universities as part of the scoring process, and - although not part of the ranking calculation - activities such as internship programs, student clubs, institutes or centers run within the university, speaker series, conferences and competition events. A searchable database of faculty research relevant to topics in sustainability and social impact is also available.

2009-2010 MBA rankings
149 schools submitted information to the Beyond Grey Pinstripes survey, and after being analyzed and scored, 100 were ranked in the Aspen Global 100. The top ten schools of this ranking are displayed below.

Ranking methodology
Rankings published in Beyond Grey Pinstripes are based entirely on MBA coursework and research published by business school faculty. The data on which the rankings are based are provided by participating schools. The scoring criteria and data sources differ from typical MBA rankings which often gather data from corporate recruiters and alumni, and base rankings on criteria such as student diversity, GMAT scores, post-graduation salaries, post-graduate employment rates, and networking opportunities.

Schools participating in the ranking provide information about their demographics, curricular offerings and faculty research. Demographic data includes campus and class enrollment statistics, number of faculty, and required credit hours needed to earn a degree. Data collected on a school’s curriculum include course descriptions that explain what social, environmental, and ethical content is in each course; a syllabus; a count on the number of full-time students enrolled in the course; the amount of credits or credit hours allotted to the course, and whether the course is required or elective. Submitters must also estimate what percent of the course material is relevant to social, ethical, or environmental topics. The schools are also asked to provide abstracts for all articles on business-related social, ethical and environmental issues published by their business school faculty in peer-reviewed, business journals over the past 2 years. Participating schools are also given an option to submit a narrative on their efforts to prepare students for social and environmental stewardship. To ensure data accuracy, participating schools are required to sign a pledge stating that submissions are honest and accurate.

As of 2011, rankings are calculated using a weighted average formula:
 * 20% of the final ranking consists of the number of courses offered to students that include content on social, ethical, and environmental issues.
 * 25% of the score is a weighting of the extent to which students are exposed to this relevant coursework during their time in business school.
 * 30% of each school’s score is based on the number of courses offered by the MBA program that specifically address the role that mainstream, for-profit business plays in being a force for positive social and environmental change.
 * The final 25% of the score is determined by a count of relevant faculty research published in peer-reviewed journals, weighted by the impact of the journal based on impact factors compiled in the Thomson Reuters's Journal Citation Report.

Scoring is done by fourteen Ph.D. fellows who work in pairs to review school submissions and score coursework and faculty research. Scoring is further reviewed by the Aspen Institute Center for Business Education to maintain consistency and accuracy across schools and areas of study. Scoring is done on a school-blind basis to prevent bias.

Criticisms
The ranking has at times have received critiques. The United Nations Global Compact criticized the ranking in 2002 for not putting greater weight on core courses when compared to elective courses. In response, the Aspen Institute has increased its weighting on the extent to which all students are exposed to relevant topics within the core curricula. Some participating schools have also criticized the range of acceptable journals, suggesting that it does not cover the breadth of relevant faculty research being published. In response, the Aspen Institute has widened acceptable faculty research to include abstracts from any peer-reviewed business journal. The Aspen Institute also changed the scoring process to rely on teams of Ph.D. fellows who receive training prior to scoring review.