The two organizations will work closely together with the ambition of creating the most sustainability-centered MBA program in the world, by integrating key sustainability management tools and frameworks developed by WBSCD into the core of the MBA program.
Together with WBCSD, IMD will also explore ways to further expand Vision 2050 – WBCSD’s vision of a world in which 9+ billion people live well, within planetary boundaries, by 2050 – by developing short programs targeting business executives.
“Executives all over the world are under the mounting pressure to adapt to rapid changes in business and society, while at the same time becoming more socially responsible and ecological sustainable. We have to arm the leaders of today and tomorrow with the skills to transform their businesses onto a sustainable path,” said IMD President Jean-François Manzoni.
“By collaborating with WBCSD and their network of leading companies, we can share insights and drive progress towards a more prosperous, inclusive and sustainable world,” he added.
WBCSD is a global, CEO-led community of over 200 leading sustainable businesses and represents a combined revenue of more than $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. With a global network of almost 70 national business councils, the WBCSD’s reach across the world is immense.
“The collaboration with IMD, a leader in its field, will prepare the leaders of tomorrow to tackle a changing business landscape and equip them with the skills needed to implement business solutions towards net zero, nature positive and equity targets to tackle the three biggest challenges of our time: climate emergency, nature loss and mounting inequality,” said WBCSD President and CEO Peter Bakker.
IMD and WBSCD hope to further establish a variety of joint working groups, linking IMD faculty and WBCSD experts.
The WBCSD collaboration reflects IMD’s long-running commitment to sustainability and builds on other partnerships that enable collaboration across sectors and geographies. IMD is one of the founding members of Business Schools for Climate Leadership (BS4CL),a group of eight European business schools joining together to help business leaders combat the climate crisis facing the planet.
It has also introduced the Master of Science in Sustainable Management and Technology program offered by Enterprise for Society (E4S) on behalf of IMD, the University of Lausanne (UNIL) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). The aim of this program is to equip the next generation of entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs with the knowledge and skills necessary to co-create a more resilient, environmentally responsible and inclusive economy.
