XLRI, SPJIMR and GIM achieve highest level as “Pioneering” B-schools in PIR 2021

The PIR 2021 assessed the social impact levels of about forty-six B-schools from 21 countries all over the world. Out of these, three Indian institutes namely, S P Jain Institute of Management Research (SPJMIR), XLRI (Xavier School of Management), and Goa Institute of Management (GIM) achieved the highest level as “Pioneering” schools in the PIR 2021 report.

Positive Impact Rating (PIR) is conducted by management students to assess how B-schools have a positive impact on the world. This impact is inclusive of the B-school’s contribution to the economy and business.

Assessing B-schools across dimensions

The PIR 2021 report was launched at the UN PRME Global Forum. PRME stands for the Principles of Responsible Management Education, which is a United Nations-backed initiative. It was founded in 2007 to create a platform to raise the level of sustainability in B-schools all over the world. The B-schools were measured across seven dimensions namely- culture, governance, programs, student support, learning methods, public engagement, and institution as a role model.

In its report, the PIR remarked that the top B-schools “perform solidly” across all these parameters.

B-schools social initiatives

For SPJIMR, the PIR report exclusively recognised the B-school for its innovative community actions, its strong focus on responsible leadership, and social and environmental culture and governance. The report also named the “Development of Corporate Citizenship” initiative as the pioneer one that helped students engage with organisations at the grass-root level and develop long-term solutions.

The “Abhyudaya” initiative was also recognised in which the participants mentor and guide the underprivileged school children. Platform “Ehsaas” of the same B-school was also taken into consideration since it created a platform for social organisations to display and sell their products along with the event “Aasra” that allows participation from the differently-abled.

The leader of SPJIMR’s DOC initiative, Dr. Chandrika Parmar said that the PIR rating validates the work of their B-school in the last twenty years as it tried to embed social sensitivity in its curriculum.

Embedding social sensitivity

Moving ahead, XLRI became the only B-school in the entire world that scaled up from Level 3 (Progressing Schools) to Level 5 (Pioneering Business Schools) in just a year.

The Director of XLRI, Fr. Paul Fernandes said in a statement that for over seventy years, XLRI has provided world-class education and ethics-driven teaching for a sustainable future and a greater cause.

PIR rates B-schools “Best for the World”

The Director of Goa Institute of Management (GIM) said that the PIR rates are indicative of B-schools that are “Best For the World” rather than “Best in the World.” Adding to his statement, he said that GIM has put ethics and values at the core of its pedagogy. He remarked, “PIR is the voice of students around the globe and what is most satisfying for us is that our main stakeholders – our students have acknowledged institute commitment towards sustainability, responsibility, and impact and encouraged us to design and execute more such initiatives for positive long-term impact in future”.

Antonio Haute, the Executive Director at UN Global Compact Switzerland, said that businesses can be a force for good, and this is strengthened by students who are the next generation of business leaders. In its report and rating, the PIR is supportive of prioritizing responsible management education by B-schools.

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