Global Forum for Responsible Management Education
Academic Leaders from 43 Countries Renew Commitment to Responsible Management Education
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stresses need to root training of future business leaders in principles of corporate citizenship
(New York, 5 December 2008) – Calling for a stronger focus on the long-term sustainability of business, educators and administrators representing 185 business schools and other academic institutions from 43 countries have reaffirmed their commitment to the Principles for Responsible Management Education, an UN-backed initiative launched in 2007 to mainstream corporate responsibility in curriculum development, research and advocacy.
More than 280 academic leaders gathered at UN Headquarters in New York on 4-5 December for the First Global Forum for Responsible Management Education, which was organized by the PRME Secretariat and hosted by the United Nations Global Compact in collaboration with the Research Center on the Global Compact at the Levin Institute.
In a series of plenary presentations and breakout sessions, the two-day Forum discussed the role of corporate responsibility in management education, presenting both practice cases and new research from leading institutions. 
The Official Reception of the Forum was at The Levin Institute, with Chancellor Joel I. Klein, of the New York City Department of Education as Guest Speaker.
At the Forum the main traits of the “Sharing Information on Progress” (SIPs) that PRME participating institutions will publish periodically in the future as public disclosure concerning their implementation of the Principles were defined. Also a high number of projects and activities to be undertaken in 2009 by participating institutions for the advancement of the Principles were presented.
An outcome statement adopted at the Forum, stressed the critical role of business schools as “agents of change” and pledged to place environmental, social and governance issues at the core of curriculum development for management education. “The current crisis has reinforced our view that the long-term viability and success of business will depend on its capacity to manage environmental, social and governance concerns and to create sustainable value through innovation and new business models adapted to a changing global environment”, the statement read. Participants further committed to intensify research, advocacy and awareness-raising efforts. 
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, addressed the closing plenary of the Forum, encouraging management educators to work together to “ensure that management science is rooted in the concepts of sustainability and corporate citizenship”.
“As teachers, you can ensure that tomorrow's leaders understand that the long-term growth of a business is tied to its environmental and social impact. As scholars, you can produce research tat drives innovation and helps management to recognize the benefits of being a responsible business. And as thought leaders and advocates in your communities, you help advance awareness of broader challenges, opportunities and responsibilities”, the Secretary-General said.
The proceedings of the Forum will be available in a Report to be published by the PRME Steering Committee
About the Principles for Responsible Management Education
Launched in 2007, the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) provide framework for academic institutions to advance corporate social responsibility through the incorporation of universal values into curricula and research. The PRME is coordinated by a Steering Committee constituted of 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 Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), Net Impact and the United Nations Global Compact. The Secretariat of PRME is hosted at the Research Center for the Global Compact in the Levin Institute, as a result of a memorandum of Understanding between the Global Compact and the Levin Institute.
www.unprme.org
For additional information, please contact the UN PRME Secretariat at PRMESecretariat@unprme.org or Manuel.Escudero@levininstitute.org.
Video of Interview with Chancellor Joel I. Klein