At a time of major social, environmental and technological change, the impact business schools have on society matters more than ever. So does understanding the value they create, who benefits and where they can make the greatest difference.
Business schools contribute to society through teaching, research, partnerships, community engagement and many other activities. Multiple initiatives are always underway, often involving different people, priorities and resources. Understanding how these efforts connect, how they relate to overall strategy and where they create genuine value is not always straightforward.
What does society need from business schools today? Where can your institution contribute most? Which activities are creating genuine value for the communities you serve? Who needs to be involved? And where might effort be better directed elsewhere?
Making progress also means working across institutional boundaries, bringing together people with different priorities and finding ways forward when decisions and resources are not entirely within our control.
The EFMD Social Impact workshop creates a working space to look at institutional social impact and value creation, gain new perspectives and make more informed choices about where to focus next.
HIGHLIGHTS
Participants will experience how social value creation takes shape in the specific context of the host institution. They will explore how purpose and strategy can provide direction and focus, and consider the role of businesses, communities and other external stakeholders in the school’s wider impact.
The focus will also turn inward. Participants will look at the people already contributing to social impact across their institution, including formal, as well as informal champions and activities that may not always be visible, and consider how these efforts can become part of a powerful story that people can relate to and get behind.
The experience is shared with an international group, creating opportunities throughout the 2.5 days for honest conversations about different approaches, successes and challenges.
METHODOLOGY
The workshop starts with Point Zero: a structured reflection on each participant’s own institution, what is working, what feels disconnected and which questions need attention.
Point Zero provides the thread. Practical input from academics, practitioners, the host institution and its surrounding community is combined with tools, reflection, peer exchange and work on participants’ own cases. Rather than offering a one size fits all model, different perspectives and real examples are there to be questioned, discussed and tested against each participant’s context.
After 2.5 days of learning, questioning, discussing and reflecting, participants return to their Point Zero. What looks different? What deserves more attention? What can be stopped? Which internal champions need to be brought together? Which external relationships matter? What story can people across the institution get behind?
The workshop is designed for associate deans, programme directors, sustainability and social impact professionals, quality assurance managers, and those responsible for or interested in advancing sustainability, SDGs, equality, diversity, and inclusion within their business school.
It is particularly relevant for those already involved in social impact activities who want to step back, challenge their current approach, learn from others and decide where to focus next.
Participants will leave with:
Participants who successfully complete the workshop will receive a digital badge, fully verifiable and shareable online. The credential recognises their commitment to professional growth and their contribution to advancing excellence in management education.
