Brock University Professor Samir Trabelsi is one of 22 business school faculty members from around the world named to AACSB International’s 2024 Class of Influential Leaders.

AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) is the longest-serving accrediting body for business schools, accrediting less than six per cent of business schools globally. Their annual Class of Influential Leaders highlights faculty at accredited institutions who are advancing new knowledge and creating impact in business and society through their research.

Trabelsi is the CPA Ontario Distinguished Scholar and a Professor of Accounting and Governance at Brock’s Goodman School of Business. His research bridges the gap between academic insights and real-world applications, promoting better governance and sustainability reporting in the corporate world.

“Dr. Trabelsi’s work demonstrates the potential of business school research to address some of today’s most critical challenges,” says Lily Bi, AACSB President and CEO. “The knowledge he is producing will help inform and create real change in the world.”

Trabelsi says he is humbled to be named part of the AACSB’s 2024 Class of Influential Leaders and has an immense gratitude for receiving the honour.

“This recognition is a powerful validation of my work on governance and sustainability, affirming my belief that academic research and business schools can drive meaningful change,” Trabelsi says. “It fuels my passion to continue exploring innovative solutions to the urgent sustainability challenges our planet faces, knowing that my contributions can make a tangible difference in business and society.”

His research impact, detailed by AACSB on the organization’s website, includes work on addressing sustainability reporting challenges, with notable standard-setting bodies in the accounting and sustainability sectors engaging with his research findings. He has also served as a panellist at the U.N. Statistics Division’s Beyond GDP 2023 Sprint Series, presenting on the concept of linking GDP with environmental, social and governance metrics to ensure the effects of climate change are appropriately accounted for, providing a comprehensive view of a country’s long-term economic sustainability.

“Our School is incredibly proud to have Dr. Trabelsi recognized in the 2024 Class of AACSB Influential Leaders,” says Goodman Dean Barry Wright. “Goodman’s vision is to create meaningful sustainable impact and his research is a perfect example of that in action.”

Trabelsi’s goal is for his research to transform the way that businesses conceptualize and implement sustainability by challenging conventional models, introducing innovative frameworks and providing actionable guidance that empowers businesses to become genuine agents of positive change.

“My goal is for my work to inspire a shift from sustainability as a mere compliance exercise to a core, value-driven principle embedded within the DNA of organizations,” he says. “Ultimately, I envision a future where business success and sustainability are inextricably linked, leading to a more equitable, resilient and thriving world for all.”