PRME: Business Education for a Better World

Established in 2007, the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) is a United Nations-supported initiative that engages business schools and management-related higher education institutions around the world to become advocates for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.

PRME is an extension of the U.N. Global Compact, an alliance among international companies to implement responsible business practices and develop innovative solutions to address the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): 17 objectives designed to serve as a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.” Today, there are more than 880 PRME signatory members in 90 countries that have committed to helping tomorrow’s business leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need to address and eliminate complex global challenges including systemic poverty, gender inequality and climate change.

The U.N. Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) reflect Bentley University’s mission — doing business that’s good for the world.

We are committed to developing business leaders who are prepared and motivated to put global challenges at the heart of how they create value for their companies.

E. LaBrent Chrite

President, Bentley University

Bentley University is proud to have been among the first institutions to become a PRME signatory, and we are equally proud of the pioneering role our faculty has played in developing and supporting the initiative from its earliest stages:

Timeline indicating key milestones in the development of the PRME initiative and Bentley's participation in it. 2000: U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan launches the U.N. Global Compact (UNGC), an agreement among international companies to implement socially responsible and sustainable business policies and practices. 2006: Annan introduces the framework for what will later become PRME during his opening remarks at the Global Forum for Business as an Agent of World Benefit conference. 2007: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon formally announces PRME during the Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. Bentley is among the first academic institutions in the U.S. to become a PRME signatory. 2008: Representatives from 170 institutions — including Tony Buono, professor of Management and Sociology and founding director of the Bentley Alliance for Ethics and Social Responsibility — gather for the inaugural PRME Summit at U.N. headquarters. Buono later facilitates discussions among PRME signatories to develop the framework for subsequent global fora and regional summits. 2011: Patricia Flynn, professor of Economics and Management and former dean of Bentley’s McCallum Graduate School of Business, becomes co-chair of the PRME Working Group on Gender Equality, a position she holds until 2020. 2012: At the U.N. Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, PRME representatives — including Buono — commit to developing what will become the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 2015-2020: Flynn also serves as co-editor of the PRME book series, producing two volumes focusing on gender equality and four books exploring various topics related to sustainable development. 2017: During the Global Forum for Responsible Management Education: 10 Years of PRME meeting at the U.N. in New York, Buono and Flynn are among the 19 individuals recognized as PRME Pioneers for their leadership and commitment. Bentley is the

In our academic offerings, research endeavors, external partnerships and organizational practices, we are guided by our commitment to six fundamental PRME Principles:

Principle 1: Purpose

We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.

Principle 2: Values

We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact.

Principle 3: Method

We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.

Principle 4: Research

We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value.

Principle 5: Partnership

We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges.

Principle 6: Dialogue

We will facilitate and support dialogue and debate among educators, students, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global responsibility and sustainability.