Building responsible future business leaders: Get to know PRME

Responsible business starts with responsible leadership. PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) collaborates with businesses and management schools to elevate sustainability through its Seven Principles, aimed at serving society and protecting the planet.

As the world confronts accelerating climate change, growing inequality and an evolving global economy, the business sector must step up, not just in what it does, but in how it leads. The future of business depends on responsible decision-making, grounded in ethics, sustainability and a commitment to the greater good. 

To drive sustainable transformation, we must prepare a new generation of business leaders who are values-driven, globally minded and committed to long-term impact. That is the mission of Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), the education arm of the UN Global Compact.

Launched in 2007 by the UN Global Compact, PRME is a network of higher education institutions that embed sustainability and ethics into the core of business education. With over 870 schools across more than 90 countries, PRME represents the largest organized relationship between the United Nations and business schools.

At its heart, PRME is a call to action: to align the education of business students with the values of the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this lens, business education becomes more than a career pathway—it becomes a lever for systemic change.

According to UNESCO, one in three university students globally graduates with a degree in business, management, law or economics. That's approximately 70 million students entering the workforce every year, many of whom will become future CEOs, investors, policymakers and entrepreneurs who will shape the global economy.

Yet, a gap remains between the capabilities taught in many classrooms and the complex leadership skills needed in the modern business world. Companies are increasingly seeking leaders who can navigate today's challenges, think systemically and make decisions grounded in ethics and impact.

PRME was created to bridge this disconnect. As part of the UN Global Compact, PRME embeds sustainability, ethics and responsible leadership into business education. With a skills-development approach, PRME ensures students graduate with the mindset and competencies needed to advance the SDGs and lead with purpose. 

This shift is vital and in high demand. Recent data shows that students increasingly expect their institutions to prioritize sustainability, with many choosing where to enroll based on those values. PRME is helping higher education rise to meet that moment.

PRME operates through seven core Principles: Purpose, Values, Teach, Research, Partner, Practice and Share. These principles guide our work, embedding responsible management education in institutions globally. 

Today, our network includes 870+ signatory institutions in over 90 countries. 

PRME connects business school leaders, faculty and students through a diverse and growing network of Chapters, Champions, Working Groups and Global Students. These communities foster collaboration, peer-to-peer learning and innovation while offering unparalleled opportunities to expand professional networks and co-create solutions for shared challenges. One of the key moments for our community is the annual Global Forum, an opportunity to gather in person, exchange ideas, and accelerate progress toward our shared vision of responsible leadership. 

PRME supports institutions in fostering responsible leadership by providing educators with the pedagogy, curriculum and research needed to transform their classrooms with a focus on sustainability.

Educators gain the support needed to deliver impact and interdisciplinary learning experiences through downloadable teaching resources, certification programmes, and peer-learning networks. PRME empowers students and faculty to tackle real-world sustainability challenges with urgency and purpose by fostering research and collaboration. Through these offerings, educators are equipping students with the mindset and the skillset to lead in a world that demands more from business.

In parallel, PRME provides platforms for institutions to measure and communicate their progress. The Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) report is a cornerstone of this effort, offering a transparent, principles-based framework for accountability and reflection. Through Signatory Spotlights, Awards and Impact Stories, PRME Signatory institutions and individual community members showcase how engagement with PRME is transforming perspectives, actions and systems.

The path to a sustainable future begins in the classroom. With over a third of the world’s future leaders studying business, transforming management education is one of the most powerful levers to accelerate progress on the SDGs.

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