IMD business school for management and leadership courses
Outreach and partnerships
IMD partners with academic institutions, organizations, and not-for-profits to advance sustainable transformation. We recognize that cross-sector outreach and partnerships help maximize our impact on society. Our commitment to strengthening collaboration is evident in several new partnerships and the deepening of existing relationships.
In 2023, we launched various new partnerships and outreach initiatives, including the Inner Development Goals, Female Quotient, the Boardroom, and EqualVoice. We also continued to strengthen our existing partnerships with the IMD alumni TOGETHER network, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Swiss Boards for Agenda 2030, Business Schools for Climate Leadership, and Enterprise for Society.
Our new partnerships
IMD is a co-founding partner of the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) Foundation. Given the slower-than-expected progress toward achieving the UN SDGs, the initiative posits that external goals must be coupled with inner leadership capability development to help translate SDGs from visions into actions. IDG brings together researchers and leaders from government, business, and civil society to evolve this framework and to craft initiatives for leadership development consistent with it.
IMD is proud to partner with The Female Quotient, which seeks to close the gender gap in the workplace. Established in 2013, The Female Quotient has created the world’s largest community of women in business and offers curated experiences through leadership and solutions to achieve gender equality. IMD collaborated with the Female Quotient during the UN Conference of Parties (COP) climate conference and the World Economic Forum at Davos to magnify its impact.
In 2023, IMD became the academic partner of the Boardroom, a pan-European club for women executives who aspire to be board members. The partnership will develop tailor-made programs to accelerate the advancement of women in leadership positions and corporate boards, further expand the Boardroom’s diverse network of key decision-makers in business, and bridge the gap between board opportunities and talented women ready to serve.
In 2023, IMD became a partner to EqualVoice, an academic network committed to producing scientific analyses on topics relating to equality and diversity. By combining academic research and practical expertise, EqualVoice strives to produce informed and challenging white papers that provide analytical depth and serve as a valuable resource for policy development and social change. The IMD white paper Inclusive Language and Images was co-authored in 2023 by Heather Cairns-Lee and Alexander Fleischmann.
Deepening our engagement with our partners
We delivered two masterclasses and hosted an event alongside our partner B Lab at the World Economic Forum in Davos for Swiss Boards for Agenda 2030. Swiss Boards for Agenda is an alliance of Swiss CEOs and board members committing their companies to a high level of board accountability to drive sustainability and business resilience. The sessions focused on the practical steps boards can take to support a positive impact strategy.
TOGETHER, an initiative formed by IMD Alumni, is dedicated to fostering a strong network of leaders committed to creating a sustainable future. In 2023, 11 influential leaders participated in a series of webinars, delving into topics such as impact entrepreneurship, the evolving landscape of sustainability regulations, the transformative potential of green hydrogen and sustainable farming, and others. TOGETHER also participated in the Business Schools for Climate Leadership Forum in Barcelona.
IMD is a founding partner of Business Schools for Climate Leadership (BS4CL), a partnership between eight of Europe’s leading business schools. BS4CL works with the group’s alumni community to support business solutions to climate change. In 2023, BS4CL hosted the BS4CL Climate Leadership Research Conference and BS4CL Forum: Leading Decarbonization and the PhD course Financial Economics of Climate and Sustainability.
The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is a UN-supported initiative that raises the profile of sustainability in business schools. It aims to ensure that future leaders have the skills to balance economic, environmental, and social goals. IMD became a member of the Champions Group of the PRME in 2023, a select group of schools working together to integrate the UN SDGs into teaching, research, and outreach.
The Enterprise for Society Center (E4S) is a joint venture of the University of Lausanne (through HEC Lausanne), IMD, and École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne. Its mission is to spearhead the transition towards a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economy. The first participants graduated from the E4S Master of Science in sustainable management and technology degree program in 2023 and over 80% secured employment.
In 2023, E4S published nine white papers, launched the Perspectives podcast series, and hosted several workshops and research events. Its Sustainability Portal was also initiated, connecting experts on sustainability research and innovation projects. The E4S Showcase 2030, held in 2023, attracted more than 600 participants.
