IMD business school for management and leadership courses
Center for Social Innovation
The Center for Social Innovation develops and shares research, pedagogical content, and educational programs that help business, government, and civil society leaders navigate the challenges of initiating and implementing social innovation. We aim to inspire and encourage these leaders to create social innovation in their respective areas of responsibility.
Our ongoing involvement in programs and projects
Following the success of the 2022 Driving Innovative Finance for Impact program, a new cohort of over 40 participants enjoyed the second run of the program in 2023. This open program on blended finance and organizational readiness was launched jointly with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the World Economic Forum, and the Lombard Odier Foundation.
We also continued close involvement with the MBA and EMBA programs during the year. Within the MBA, we supported a team with an International Consulting Project on an investment fund model (AlphaMundi). We ran the MBA elective course “Mastering the art of impact investing: Balancing Risk, return and impact.”
Vanina Farber continued as dean of IMD’s Executive MBA program in 2023. She also provided modules and sessions in both the MBA and EMBA and contributed multiple sessions to other IMD executive programs. Vanina once again led two immersive Discovery Expeditions to Colombia and Peru, enabling EMBA participants to explore social entrepreneurship and impact the investment landscape.
“We met with many truly inspirational individuals who are role models of courage and perseverance for the benefit of a better and more inclusive society. This experience deeply touches me.”
The breadth of our research and publications
Vanina and Shih-Han produced an abridged version of the ICRC humanitarian impact bond over the course of 2023, which is currently under evaluation for several case awards.
An academic article published in the Journal of Business Ethics, Applicants’ fairness perceptions of algorithm‑driven hiring procedures, reached nearly 3,000 accesses in less than a year, making it one of the most accessed papers in JBE during 2023.
Book chapters
FT50 article
Media articles
Original cases
Curated edition of I by IMD
“The Impact Economy: How to make a positive difference,”.
The issue features 12 articles illustrating how social change agents orient strategies around impact. We need creative ideas and partnerships to reimagine the global economy to secure a more sustainable and inclusive future. I by IMD explored how the fast-emerging “impact economy” is changing the way we do business – and the world.
“The Impact Economy is a rapidly professionalizing field but requires change agents at the corporate and investor level to be intentional about their impact and apply new skill sets.”
Recognition and outreach
In December 2023, Vanina Farber was appointed to the Innovation Council at Innosuisse. The work of the Council involves reviewing, analyzing, and making decisions on funding applications, as well as facilitating the implementation of funding activities.
During the year, our experts continued participating in research groups such as the Swiss Lab for Sustainable Finance and the Gender Lens Initiative for Switzerland. We also participated in numerous industry events, including:
- Two roundtables on Blended Finance at the World Investment Forum
- AidEX2023 panel on Closing the Financing Gap for Humanitarian Response to the Impacts of the Climate Crisis
- A fireside chat on FDI & Women’s Empowerment
- Participation in the 2023 Building Bridges Summit as an academic stakeholder voice
- A panel discussion on impact-based compensation at the 2023 Impact Investing Days
- Participation in the roundtable and workshop on Humanitarian Blended Finance in the Water Sector: New Pathways for Impact and Scale in Fragile Settings at the EU delegation in Geneva.
- We hosted the elea Foundation-Verve Ventures roundtable at IMD
- Presentation of the Empretec Women in Business Award at the 8th World Investment Forum in Abu Dhabi, UAE
