Institutions that have endorsed the initiative make a commitment to align their mission and strategy, as well as their core competencies—education, research, and thought leadership—with values embodied by the six PRME principles (see below). Actions encouraged under the initiative’s framework include curriculum development around the corporate responsibility agenda and research in support of sustainable management systems, as well as public advocacy and opinion leadership to advance responsible business practices. 

On behalf of the PRME steering committee, Dr. Manuel Escudero, head of academic initiatives at the UN Global Compact (one of the initiative’s co-conveners), said the milestone of 100 signatories “will enable the initiative to bring good efforts to scale and truly embed the sustainability agenda in the training of future business leaders.”

“More than ever, our future business leaders understand the importance of corporate social responsibility and community engagement,” added Dave Wilson, president and CEO of GMAC. “The growth of TeamMBA demonstrates that these students are giving their energy, talents, and countless hours of their time to improve the world around them. We are proud to be part of this global effort.”

Other members of the PRME Steering Committee include the UN Global Compact, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Aspen Institute’s Business and Society Program, the European Academy for Business in Society (EABIS), the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), and Net Impact.

Following its early outreach and awareness-raising efforts, the initiative is currently establishing several participant working groups to facilitate implementation of the principles and identify best practices. In addition, a Global Forum for Responsible Management Education will be convened on December 1–2, 2008, at UN Headquarters in New York. The event will present a first opportunity to take stock of the PRME initiative so far, to exchange experiences, and to forge a closer link between the United Nations’ mission and the work of business schools.

For more information about the PRME, please visit www.unprme.org.

As institutions of higher learning involved in the education of current and future managers, we are voluntarily committed to engaging in a continuous process of improvement of the following Principles, reporting on progress to all our stakeholders, and exchanging effective practices with other academic institutions:

Principle 1. Purpose: We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.

Principle 2. Values: We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives, such as the United Nations Global Compact.

Principle 3. Method: We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes, and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.

Principle 4. Research: We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental, and economic value.

Principle 5. Partnership: We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities, and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges. 

Principle 6. Dialogue: We will facilitate and support dialogue and debate among educators, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations, and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability.

We understand that our own organizational practices should serve as example of the values and attitudes we convey to our students.