Our Mission, Vision and Values
We're on a mission to become the UK's leading business school for sustainability – a place where learning, research and real-world change come together.
"Our mission is to turn cutting-edge knowledge into real-world impact, enriching ambitious students and advancing collaborative research with industry, public sector and social enterprise partners, so that together we co-create a greener, more inclusive economy.
Our vision is a green-growth economy where digital transformation accelerates sustainability and inclusive prosperity."
Professor Katy Mason, PVC Dean of Salford Business School
Our work touches five key communities: students, staff, business practitioners, policymakers and the wider public. At our heart lies a simple but powerful idea: "good business" that champions ethics, inclusivity, social justice and environmental responsibility in everything we do.
We focus our efforts on four connected areas that bring together education, research and knowledge sharing:
- Sustainability in business and management
- Digital transformation for an inclusive economy that works for everyone
- Digital innovation driving green economic growth
- Excellence in management education
Why this vision matters
Our economy doesn't work for everyone yet, and many current business practices are harming our planet. We see this as the defining challenge of our time: how do we create good business that builds a greener, fairer economy for all? This question shapes our community, guides our teaching and drives our research toward solving the real problems that stand in the way of sustainable economic transformation.
How we're making change happen
Teaching and Learning That Makes a Difference
We're building our reputation around a distinctive approach to business and legal education. From undergraduate degrees to executive programmes, our courses showcase cutting-edge research in green economic transformation. Our goal? To give learners the tools to understand and champion sustainability through digital innovation, preparing graduates who can help create a world where everyone thrives.
Our school-wide priorities include:
- Supporting every student to succeed
We're particularly committed to helping every student - including first-in-family, commuters and working students - develop into critical, thoughtful learners. - Learning that empowers
Our teaching is hands-on, critical and practical – designed to develop future leaders and change-makers who can tackle real challenges. - Global perspectives for local impact
We share a variety of international viewpoints throughout our curriculum, fostering awareness of our interconnected world and commitment to social justice.
These priorities create an inclusive, entrepreneurial environment that strengthens career prospects while supporting the transition to a green economy.
Our commitment to global goals
Our work directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goals on Gender Equality (goal 5), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (goal 9) and Responsible Consumption and Production (goal 12), enhanced through Partnerships (goal 17). We also contribute to the university's broader sustainability priorities, including goals related to health, clean energy and reducing inequalities.
Research that address real challenges
We pursue social science research that tackles real-world problems head-on. This drives our Good Business mission: building a more ethical, just and sustainable economy that works for both people and planet. We support our colleagues in creating a vibrant, collaborative community where everyone can make meaningful contributions to theory, practice and policy.
Our Good Business research mission
Every research project we undertake shares a single goal: to create social justice and environmental improvement by transforming how we organise and manage business for a sustainable, green economy. We foster a culture where collaboration and inclusivity shape how we work – with each other, across the university and with external partners. Four research priorities guide our work:
- Sustainability in business and management
Focusing on energy transitions, sustainable management practices and changing consumption patterns. We want to know if, together, we can create a circular economy. - Digitalisation and AI for a prosperous 'everyone economy'
Enabling good, productive work and building a fairer, more inclusive economic system. - Digital innovation for people and planet
Advancing data management, strategy, regulation and innovation for environmental benefit. - Management, knowledge and education for sustainable futures
Developing pedagogies to prepare our students to manage and lead in a sustainable, innovative and creative way; we are continuously driving educational excellence.
Impact that changes lives
We evolve our cutting-edge research into impactful knowledge exchange projects that provide practical and sustainable solutions to transform businesses, communities and the public sector.
Impact with business
Our Centre for Sustainable Innovation is a beacon of knowledge exchange excellence through which we deliver national and regional training programmes, consultancy projects and commercialisation services, which turn ideas and research into sustainable and innovative products and services.
In its first 12 months, CSI supported over 260 businesses through various programmes and helped to develop 19 innovations, directly contributing to the economic growth and productivity of the region. It has also helped to secure £1.6M of funding and collaborated with 16 academic partners, as well as more than 15 industry and strategic partners, including Microsoft, Northern Automotive Alliance, The Growth Company and GAMBICA.
Impact with communities
Our projects focus on helping communities be self-sustaining and resilient.
Professor Vahid Vahidinasab leads the DriVe2X project which is a major European research and innovation initiative focused on accelerating the adoption of Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) technologies, which enable electric vehicles (EVs) to interact bidirectionally with the grid, buildings, businesses and homes.
Impact through the public sector
Our projects focus on the place-based impact of artificial intelligence and the implications for policy and decision making.
Professor Richard Whittle’s research has shaped UK public policy and regulatory practice on AI by:
- Embedding behavioural auditing methods into live city‑region strategy work.
- Developing a leading AI, skills and labour index.
- Building leadership capability in local government (Salford City Council) and producing policy evidence taken up by UK Parliamentary committees.
These impacts reach regulators (FCA, Ofcom, CMA), city leaders in Manchester, Salford, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and national policy audiences.
How we deliver results
Our four areas of excellence
- Sustainability in business and management
Embedding environmental responsibility into organisational strategy, leadership and day-to-day operations. - Digital transformation for an inclusive economy
Using digital tools to enable productive, fair and inclusive work and enterprise. - Digital innovation for green growth
Accelerating data-driven and innovation-led changes that reduce environmental impact. - Management education for educational excellence
Strengthening teaching methods, curricula and learning environments that develop responsible leaders.
Who we serve
We work to inspire learning, research and impact across our five key communities – students, colleagues, practitioners, policymakers and the public – recognising that each group plays a vital role in delivering fair, sustainable prosperity.
What success looks like
- In education
Consistent, school-wide practices that support diverse learners; dynamic, challenge-based learning; internationally minded curricula; and graduates ready for green economy leadership. - In research
An inclusive, collaborative culture producing distinctive contributions to theory, practice and policy that align with our Good Business mission. - In partnerships
Deeper relationships with SMEs and major organisations, collaborative business-to-business projects and high-value partnerships that deliver regional, national and global impact aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Work with us
Whether you're running a business, shaping policy, leading in the public sector or working in the community, we'd love to explore how we can work together.
We're interested in co-designing research, piloting digital innovations and building capacity in small and medium enterprises through knowledge exchange that advances inclusive and green economic growth.