The Principles for Responsible Management Education have the capacity to take the case for universal values and business into classrooms on every continent.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Lack of sustainability in its broader context is an enormous obstacle for every nation on earth, leading to misallocation of resources and erosion of quality of life for billions of people around the world. 

The present yet evolving economic, environmental, and social conditions around the world have brought many nations to recognize the need for a sustainable economic environment aimed at creating harmony and peace globally.   We are all members of the larger community of our planet earth with a common identity and ultimate destiny.

In an effort to promote awareness and enhance sustainability in the global economy, the United Nations Global Compact came up with a possible solution: Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME). PRME is a global engagement platform for business schools and education-related institutions designed to deliver lasting benefits to people and communities.

A brief explanation of PRME: The United Nations Global Compact focuses on education concerning sustainable business globally. Business school students are our future leaders who will be placed in positions of responsibility in companies and institutions. By having the understanding, knowledge, and appreciation of the importance of sustainability, they will be able to apply those principles in their work environment. California Lutheran University has students from many countries around the world which provides the university an opportunity to promote such principles in the world. Cal Lutheran University takes such tasks seriously and PRME constitutes an important component of its management education curriculum.

PRME initiative was established in 2007 and has made significant advancement since then by contributing to the sustainability of the world through improving business education. Many academic organizations including California Lutheran University that have joined PRME are trying to contribute to a more stable global market and society from the perspective of sustainable development. This task is carried out by integrating values about sustainability into the curriculum and research projects of business schools.

Cited from the official webpage of United Nations PRME.

Here is a YouTube video about the 6th annual PRME assembly.

 

 Cited from the official YouTube account of PRME Secretariat

PRME initiative is trying to build new educational frameworks while at the same time, requiring universities to work on sustainable development based on these 6 principles.   

Principle 1: 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: 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: We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.

 

Principle 4: 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: 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: We will facilitate and support dialog and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability.

Cited from the official webpage of United Nations PRME

The United Nations Global Compact is a voluntary initiative engaging in sustainable development. The United Nations Global compact governs PRME initiatives. The ten principles are developed based on four principle themes: human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption. 

• Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights;

• Principle 2: Make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses.

 

• Principle 3: Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining;
• Principle 4: The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor;
• Principle 5: The effective abolition of child labor;
• Principle 6: The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.

 

• Principle 7: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges;
• Principle 8: Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility;
• Principle 9: Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies.

 

• Principle 10: Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery.

Cited from the official webpage of United Nations Global Compact and Pictures from Global Compact Network of Japan

PRME is governed by the United Nations Global Compact and Steering Committee which consists of the main business school accreditation bodies and associations within the world. Various organizations from PRME signatory institutions constitute a PRME Advisory Committee. The advisory committee cooperates with the steering committee and the secretariat of PRME. The following section provides information about GMAC, ABIS, AMBA and AACSB International. 

Steering Committee in the World

• United Nations Global Compact
• Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)
• AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)
• European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD)
• Association of MBAs (AMBA)
• Association of African Business Schools (AABS)
• Central and East European Management Development Association (CEEMAN)
• Latin American Council of Management Schools (CLADEA)
• The Academy of Business in Society (ABIS)
• Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI)

Cited from the official webpage of United Nations PRME