Our mission is to be the premier source of knowledge and leadership for the achievement of environmentally, economically and socially sustainable development and enterprise. To this end, the Institute fosters professional education, public outreach and scientific scholarship supportive of the transition to sustainability – that is, meeting the fundamental needs of a growing human population in an equitable manner within the means of nature.

When the Erb Institute was founded in 1996, the University of Michigan was home to a few, small-scale activities related to sustainable enterprise. Since then, the Institute has significantly expanded and aligned research, education and outreach efforts to create powerful synergies and increase external impact. Our vision is to continually grow and integrate sustainable enterprise work at the University, with the ultimate goal of facilitating positive societal transformations through the knowledge and leaders we produce.