IMD business school for management and leadership courses
Our core focus areas
Sustainability comprises a wide range of environmental, social, and governance issues. To create real impact, we must focus on those areas where we have the most influence. That’s why we defined our approach through a materiality exercise in 2019 that engaged a wide range of stakeholders, including employees, clients, participants, suppliers, and partners.
In 2023, we conducted a materiality refresh to reflect the evolution of our organization, our investment in technology, and our ever-deepening commitment to driving sustainable business transformation. We adopted this approach by considering the latest guidelines, such as the Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which call for incorporating ‘double materiality.’
This means engaging with a wide range of stakeholders in interviews and workshops to assess key sustainability issues from two perspectives:
- Outside-in (financial): the risks and opportunities for IMD.
- Inside-out (social/environmental): the impact of IMD’s activities on society and the environment.
The refresh identified 12 material focus areas. Three were identified as transformational in terms of offering the greatest opportunities for IMD and magnifying IMD’s influence on society.
- Impact-driven education: Ensuring the continuous growth and impact of IMD’s work.
- Enabling inclusive and sustainable business: To inspire sustainable business models and the development of responsible leaders.
- Access and representation in programs: To increase access and representation. These are addressed in the first three sections of the report.
An additional nine areas focus on IMD’s own behaviors and are enablers fundamental to responsible business practices. These are addressed in the last two sections of the report.
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workforce
- Employee attraction and development
- Emissions and pollution reduction
- Resource use and waste management
- Sustainable procurement
- Business ethics
- Health, safety, and well-being
- Data protection and information security
- Human rights and labor standards
