Positive Impact Rating 2023: EDHEC Business School assessed by its students

A rating conducted by students and for students

The positive impact of business schools goes beyond their contribution to business and the economy; it addresses the need for a positive societal impact.  “The PIR is the only ranking/rating with a “dual value proposition”. Business school can use it also as a tool for measuring and developing its societal impact,” explains Julia Christensen Hughes, President Yorkville University, Canada, and Member of the PIR Advisory Board

The data collection is organised by student associations, which distributes surveys across campuses. The PIR gives the students a platform to assess the positive impact of their schools, providing a unique opportunity for their voice to be heard. The PIR is the only rating worldwide in which students assess their business schools on their positive impact. "It is great to see how students actively take part in transforming their business schools. They are key stakeholders of our future, and their voice is of crucial importance for curriculum change," says Carolin Lemke, Vice-President of oikos International and PIR Supervisory Board member.

The rating survey asks students 20 questions in seven relevant impact dimensions: governance and culture of the school; study programs, learning methods, and student support; the institution as a role model and its public engagement. 

“We strongly value our students’ voices. EDHEC Business School has been transforming its programmes to address ESG issues. For example, green finance permeates our curriculum. No student leaves EDHEC without studying this fundamental issue for society. As a sign of its avant-gardism, the MSc in Climate Change & Sustainable Finance is the first programme in the world to become an academic partner of the 'Sustainable and Climate Risk' certificate of the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP), an international association dedicated to risk management. We created EDHEC-Risk Climate Impact Institute (ERCII). In the fall of 2022, we launched our first sustainable campus challenge to collect our students’ expectations. Our students challenge the school to further its positive impact on the world and commit more and more for future generations. The PIR rating 2023 results will also serve as a tool to accelerate our societal impact,” concludes Dean Emmanuel Métais. 

About the PIR rating

The PIR was created by concerned business school experts together with global NGOs - WWF, Oxfam, and UN Global Compact. The PIR partners with international student associations - oikos International, AIESEC, Net Impact, SOS UK, Studenten vor Morgen NL – it collaborates with the Global Business School Network (GBSN) and the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), and it is supported by VIVA Idea (Costa Rica), and The Institute for Business Sustainability Foundation (Switzerland).