Two of the most prestigious industry awards bodies have recognized IMD’s excellence and impact as a global leader in executive education.
The institute received two Gold Awards in the EFMD Excellence in Practice Awards for its transformative collaboration with pharmaceutical and biotech multinational Bayer and safety and security group Securitas AB.
In addition, IMD has just been ranked No.3 globally for custom programs in the 2024 Financial Times Executive Education Ranking. Program participants at the global enterprises surveyed by the FT particularly appreciated IMD’s commitment to co-creating tailored learning journeys, innovative teaching methods, the expertise of its faculty, and follow-up with participants to maximize impact, earning the institute the second-highest overall client satisfaction score of 90 ranked business schools.
The European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) is Europe’s largest network association in the field of management development, with more than 890 member organizations from academia, business, public service, and consultancy in 88 countries. Its Excellence in Practice Awards are widely regarded among the most influential and prestigious distinctions in executive education and are designed to assess and recognize impactful learning initiatives in areas such as leadership and organizational development.
IMD earned EFMD Gold Awards for a uniquely impactful leadership development program designed and delivered for German conglomerate Bayer and an organizational transformation journey with Securitas AB of Sweden. The institute has now won Gold Awards for three consecutive years, following recognition in 2023 for work with the LEGO Group, the world’s largest toymaker based in Denmark, and in 2022 for its engagement with Morocco’s OCP fertilizer manufacturer. IMD has netted five Gold Awards over the past six years with the next closest business school having earned just two.
Paul Hunter, IMD’s Director of Programs and Learning Design, described the IMD-Bayer custom program as “a remarkable story of close partnering.” The program, which developed the leadership skills of more than 12,000 Bayer employees in less than one year, focused on agility, innovation, and impact, achieving a completion rate of 83% and far surpassing expectations regarding measurable behavioral outcomes.
Similarly, the transformation journey with Securitas AB, led by Professor Thomas Malnight, shaped the security group’s strategic direction, corporate purpose, and global identity over five years.
Malnight stressed the collaborative nature of this initiative. “IMD’s partnership with Securitas demonstrates the power of listening to, engaging with, and empowering executives from across an organization to shape and execute transformation,” said Malnight, Professor Emeritus of Strategy and General Management.
