Dr. Rajesh Khajuria, Director, CKSVIM Business School, attended 2015 PRME Global Forum on June 23-24, 2015 at New York at the behest of GTU, representing Dr. Akshai Aggarwal, Vice Chancellor and entire GTU system. The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative of the United Nations Global Compact  convened the 2015 Global Forum for Responsible Management Education – 6th PRME Assembly alongside Global Compact+15: Business as a force for good governance and sustainability. 300-400 leaders of responsible management education and business, including deans, university presidents, professors, business school accreditation bodies and regional associations, students, participants of Global Compact Local Networks and the LEAD group of companies, as well as representatives from the UN, government, civil society, and corporate sustainability thought leaders attended the Global Forum.

A Report on PRME UN Global Conference, New York organised on June23-24, 2015 

Notes by Dr Rajesh Khajuria, Director of CKSVIM represented GTU initiative on PRME at the Conference:  

Principle for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Global Forum for Responsible Management Education – 6th PRME Assembly”, was held on 23-24 June 2015 in Edison, New York, USA was started with an Interaction at 8 o’ clock sharp on 23rd June 2015.

DAY 1: June 23, 2015 - Inauguration and Sessions of the Conference

"In 20 years, UN Global Compact may not be needed because all the businesses would have transformed to be responsible and sustainable businesses", He said.

On the growth of the PRME, Jonas Haertle, Head of the PRME Secretariat (who had written a Special Message to Dr Rajesh Khajuria on 4th International Conference on Business Ethics, Governance and Sustainability along with PRME Workshop at GTU with CKSVIM held at Ahmedabad in February 2015 and published in SANKALPA: Journal of Management and Research, ISSN: 2231-1904, Special Issue, February 2015) noted that “the PRME initiative, now in its eighth year, is a thriving network and a truly global platform for learning and action…[comprised of] over 600 institutions in over 80 countries, all of which have heeded our call to ‘place sustainability at the heart of management education."

Over the last one and a half years, 18 PRME Chapter and Regional Meetings have been held, with new PRME Chapters now reach 12 around the world, and new resources and tools have been launched such as the Anti-Corruption Toolkit developed by the PRME Working Group on Anti-Corruption in Curriculum Change with the support of the Siemens Integrity Initiative, and the PRME Chapter UK & Ireland region-specific Inspirational Guide for the Implementation of PRME. Many collaborations took place, including the PRME Champions meeting with the Global Compact Board, the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Advisory Council, and ambassadors at UN Headquarters to discuss the historic opportunity that business has to shape and advance the post-2015 development agenda. 

The challenge is Linking 90% of students entering higher education, where the growth will be...

• In America 2% additional students
• In Europe -15% students
• In Middle East 10% to 15%
• In Asia 15 to 30 million students, 100% additional students
• In India 15 million students addition forecast
• In Other Asian countries 15% to 30% students
• In Africa 8.3 million students or 165% additional students
• Latin America, Indonesia, China, INDIA are high growth markets
• Africa, India and Asia will be the future.

Session 1: Pathways to Achieving Sustainable Development
The Chuck Fowler, Director and Chairman, Fairmount Santrol interacted and describes the Three stages:

• Share
• Interact
• Commit

He put stress on Challenging the Questions and Visioning Exercises. He further raised the question before audience:

Q. How can we move the Business Sector to mobilise from 4% to 100% People under Sustainable Development (SD)?

Ms. Ericka Karp, CEO, Cornerstone Capital talked about the Corporate Sustainability is Corporate Excellence, from material progress to more generic and inclusive growth. "If we can find such companies, we can transform the world." She further said that all investors and educators are emotional about sustainability and innovation. More diverse companies have better decisions.

The Corporate Excellence means Engaging and empowering the entire population. 

Effective Climate Change: Business is the agent for the world to benefit. After 100 years, the temperature is predicted to be not just sustainable! She further talked about the Three Ps: People, Planet and Prosperity, to work well.

Anita Negri, President, Oikos International talked about Unesco mentions, we are in the short fall in all education targets. Not all leaders are rubbish, but we are in the short falls. In UK 80%, and in USA 80% of students are not included in bottom of force. So we need to collaborate. We need to commit, but that does not mean we add a slide on Ethics or Sustainability at the end of Class! (Clapping by audience).
She said that the Change in Teaching required. You understand that you are the change to the only source of knowledge in the world, and You need to be leaders as Faculty. And students recognise the leaders in faculty.

Today We need critical thinking, and need engineers and educators as well.

Sauquet, Global Dean, ESADE Business School, and President, the Academy of Business in Society Said China, Beijing is Focussing on Business and Society. The Networks are important, powerful and so difficult to manage. The Network become institutionalised. Business Schools should leverage this points. One should learn from the network and experiences. Look at Sustainability.

Editors of journals and publishers need to be different kinds of people. Focus on Research on sustainability, recognition, promotion criteria. The Sustainable Games.com offers US$ 25,000 Prize to The Students in Finance and Banking. Cross disciplinary collaboration is absolutely needed.
The Collaboration and Transparency are two most important things for promotion of Capitalism. The Ability to turn on Economic Engine to benefit the people through Sustainable Development, is the key to future.

The Students after passing from Business Schools tell that they have completely different experiences in the business world.

Dr. Khajuria, Director, CKSVIM, Baroda participated and represented Gujarat Technological University, Gujarat, India’s PRME initiative in the conference. In the Question-Answer session, Dr Khajuria said that "Telling Companies to be Sustainable is like telling Tigers to be Vegetarian!" And it is Very difficult. So the best way is to teach young students about Sustainability and Sustainable Development (SD) is to enable them to adopt and follow it in their own future businesses. Those who work for others have little power to change the corporations, perhaps! But not necessarily. This view was appreciated.

Room 4: Asia PRMEForum, since 2007
The Collaboratories: held in the morning session.

The Research on PRME 2007 to 2013 SDGs

PRMR Chapter, Iberian and Spanish talked about "Think Local, Act Global", Work with Networks of Business and Industry, and Business Schools, and conduct SWOT ANALYSIS with respect to PRME principles.

Bringing Dignity to People by 2030, is important. Relate 3 Ps: People, Profits, Planet. (Dr Khajuria added 4th P as Partnership).

A session on Mapping Post: Accelerating Implementation of Responsible Management Education

Revolving Cycle of 8 Steps:

The Strategy to Implement PRME in education is very important. Dean or Director of University and/or Business School is the key Implementer. The Deans are for normally 5 years, so if a Dean retires or changes, the commitment from the university or Business School should not change. Leaving PRME Document is to be released. The On-going effort should be made as the Business School (or university) may be committed to PRME, but its faculty or colleagues may not be! That is a challenge to discuss here. Wake up to Commit.

The Schools should have long term Strategic Plan for PRME implementation. The Change is regular. Must continue, in order to achieve. The Resources are limited, but we must drive our way forward! Without resources, there is no implementation, and without implementation, there is no achievement? The PRME is not just about Talking or Doing, but about Transforming.

So discuss each activity regarding, Who is to do it? How one is to do it? What results are expected? 

How to implement PRME?

Finally, Reporting, What is Going On? Reporting is the materiality we want to achieve. The Reporting leads to Commitment. But there is a lot under the Water! Make it useful to all, because it has a contribution from all...

1. PRME is Helpful? And Progress made on FDP? Curriculum Development? Research? On Campus Operations?

2. Key Barriers to making further progress?

3. How do you make implementation of PRME, Mozart of a School/program"s  Core work?
The Discussions were noted (photo of document) GTU work on PRME discussed. SMJV's CKSVIM Business School, Vadodara, a GTU Affiliated MBA College, recently published a Book titled "CSR Profile of India Incorporate" which was released in the Collaboratory Group as a Gesture of Goodwill. 

DAY 2: June 24, 2015 -  Panel Discussion on Visioning Meditation for Visioning the Future of Education Collaboratories
Discussed about:
Emotional Intelligence
Value based Management
Integrate these in Management Education
"What You Will Do" is more important than What you can do.

Empowering the Students in the Classrooms:

To Create at Triangle of Teaching, Learning among Professor, Business Manager and Students. The students should be taught Meaningful Teaching and Research and Build these in Accreditation criteria. Change the Faculty Recruitment processand sharing the learning by students who learn from Teachers, Business Internship, Peer Group and Society.

Panel of Students with Professors: The Universities should develop with much tighter Connections with real life experiences with Business and NGOs and Governments. The Holistic and Systemic Education, Transcending To other disciplines like Engineering, Computer Science and Pharmacy is important.

A Student said: "I did Finance for four years, and did Summer Internship at an NGO, and realised that I don't want to do finance! Professors are good, but they talk Finance, Finance and Finance, which I don't like!"

Since 2010 Material developed and available Siemens funding is over, so look for more funding sources Proposal development for new funding Ideas: Half day Executive Program with fees Chamber of Commerce, Industry Associations and Universities funding short-term education program Sponsorship by companies And multinationalsOnline course, priced at say USD 100 per students PRME and Global Compact Heads are best bet to find funding

Dr. Shiv: Talked about the Anti-corruption Toolkit Implementation Challenges: Motivation at Dean, Director, Faculty and Student level. The Students find different issues in classroom (non-corruption), and business world (corruption). FDP on PRME Toolkit teaching, and Accreditation or Certification by PRME.

Q. If the Anti-corruption Working group need to develop an Online New Journal?A. No, as many publishing journals are available in the world. Dr. Rajesh Khajuria offered to use SANKALPA: Journal of Management and Research (ISSN: 2231-1904) as a medium for publishing articles on PRME Anti-corruption research, subject to vetting by some members of the Anti-corruption Working Group, who then can figure on the International Board of Reviewers / Editorial Board. The idea to be explored further by the Working Group, as noted in the official summary.

Ruth Nieffer, Switzerland talked about: The idea of research project and publishing on a proposed online platform. The proposal has Anti-corruption Leaders in line with the Siemens sponsored project that ended, is Noted in the summary.

Discussions on India Agenda for 2015:
Next PRME Conference is proposed in India at Goa on November 27-28-29, 2015. Jonas is likely to come. Prof. Shiv and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Amann from HEC Peris in Doha, Katar will be coming. And they were invited to GTU.

At the end, "Businesses will do well if they make this works a better place to live."

The Transformational change through faculty and students, working groups, mentors around Chapters and Institutions, and Champions too. Expand the Good. Encourage Leadership. Explore a funding with businesses and universities.

The Concluding Remarks by Working Group Leaders:

• To engage with business leaders for taking PRME objectives forward with the students and faculties at Business Schools. Incorporate Environment related topics or subjects (in teaching).
• To promote to increase the number of signatories (Business Schools) to join PRME. We commit to Gender Resources in Business Schools, and Sustainable Development in the Society.
• Sharing ideas and resources and look forward to sharing database. Inspired by the 100% Approach to (studying and promoting) Poverty in Business Education.
• Anti-Corruption Toolkit created. Now, implement the Toolkit, FDP, and creating a Practitioner oriented Publication for dissemination of ideas and research. (By Prof. Shiv). 
• Materiality of Ethics and Responsibility, and creation of material. Shared Matrix. Evidence-based Substantive Information Reports (SIP) by member Business Schools and Universities. (GTU to work on it).
• To Train the Trainer program.
• Doing Statistical Analysis. 
• The Great Value in studying the Impact on Society,on Businesses, on Innovation.

PRME Head Jonas Thanked Jefferson Alderman, CEO of ACBSP, USA representing 1300 Business Schools in the world. He also Thanked AACSB CEO.  He advised Participating professors and business leaders to Visit the Business Schools and talk to them (about PRME), not in deductive manner, but in the manner of posing experiences and alternatives on PRME initiatives.

Summarizing the Secretary General's Message: 

"You have done wonderfully well through collaboration and networking, for development of new Sustainable Goals. Request you to make the next period of 2015-2030 wonderful, work on education and training and promotion of PRME initiative. Academia has a huge role to play. Work on Your part and our part for transforming the world. The United Nations looks forward to your contribution for developing a better world”. Thank you very much."

- Jonas Heartle, Head, PRME, New York