Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai, was recognised for its social impact and sustainability achievements in the Positive Impact Rating (PIR) results at the UN PRME Global Forum recently.

SPJIMR was one of 77 business schools from 30 countries worldwide that participated in the rating this year and achieved Level 5, making it a ‘Pioneering’ school within the PIR. This is the fourth successive year that SPJIMR has received this recognition. 

Level 5 is defined as “Showing unique sustainable leadership in all impact dimensions” and contains schools scoring between 8.8 and 10 overall. The scoring is based on the assessment of the seven key impact dimensions evaluated by PIR – Governance, Culture, Programs, Learning Methods, Student Support, Institution as a Role Model and Public Engagement. 

The PIR is a rating conducted by students and for students. Students assessed how SPJIMR addresses societal and sustainable challenges and prepares its students to be responsible business leaders. This year, 122 students responded to the survey.  

“The PIR has been an incredible journey for us as a team. The PIR platform allowed us to engage with our peers and provide them a platform to voice their opinions and ideas about how our institute can enhance itself in its commitment towards sustainability. It was inspiring to see the remarkable ideas that came out from the survey. It was extremely overwhelming to see how much our fellow students value sustainable living. This journey highlighted the excellent work our institute is doing and the importance of taking feedback and ideas from participants, for continuous improvement,” said participant Bharatkumar Suthar, PGDM 2023-25. 

The rating survey asks students 20 questions in seven relevant impact dimensions that sit within three areas: Energizing, Educating, and Engaging. The different levels refer to the developmental stage of the business school, rating it by a certain level of achievement. Business schools are provided with a defined social impact and a tool that they can use for change.

“PIR rating is an innovative tool that looks at an institute’s commitment as perceived by students to social impact initiatives. It does so by capturing the students’ voices. It is a source of pride that SPJIMR has been rated consistently as a pioneering institute. Personally, I am delighted. While we will continue to engage in sustainable community practices and embedding pedagogies that nurture a sustainability mindset, we will also continue to innovate and think and rethink impact in these spaces. The current rating is an acknowledgement of the innovative community-based actions, environmental and socially responsible culture at SPJIMR. Participating in the PIR demonstrates the value SPJIMR gives to student voice and feedback on issues of sustainability,” said Prof. Chandrika Parmar, Associate Professor, General Management, and Director, Department of Corporate Citizenship (DoCC). 

Dean Varun Nagaraj said, “Our commitment to integrating sustainability into our core values is reflected in this recognition. It’s a testament to our collective effort towards making a positive impact.”

“This achievement is not just about accolades; it’s about our ongoing journey. We aim to equip our students with the skills and mindset needed to tackle global challenges and lead with purpose,” he added. 

The PIR was created by business school experts together with international NGOs – WWF, Oxfam, and the UN Global Compact. International student associations oikos, AIESEC, and Net Impact partner with PIR, supported by VIVA Idea (Costa Rica), The Institute for Business Sustainability Foundation and Fehr Advice, both from Switzerland.

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s S.P. Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), is a leading postgraduate management institute ranked highly by leading education surveys. Visit https://www.spjimr.org/ for more information. 

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