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The Certificate in Responsible Management
About the Certificate
History
After returning from the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Conference at the United Nations in New York City from December 11th-12th, Professor John Forrer and MBA student Ari Isaacman reflected upon the lessons learned collaborating with global leaders in this field. As a signatory school of PRME, the George Washington University School of Business has an obligation to uphold the Six Principles of PRME. The MBA student organization Net Impact has begun the effort to incorporate these objectives into activities and curriculum throughout the business school. Also, the Institute for Corporate Responsibility has used the PRME framework to guide its practices in this field.
Why a Certification Program?
A certification program allows MBA students to be rewarded for their dedication to the Six Principles of the PRME. Specific requirements would guide students to participate in three distinct areas. Students will be able to choose between alternatives to fulfill each of these components.
Learning Goals of the Certificate in Responsible Management
Taken from: The Six Principles of PRME
- 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.
- 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.
- Method: We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.
- 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.
- 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.
- Dialogue: We will facilitate and support dialog and debate among educators, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability. We understand that our own organizational practices should serve as example of the values and attitudes we convey to our students.
Components of the Certificate
To receive the Certificate upon graduation, students will fulfill the four components listed below while participating on a group blog.
Coursework
6 credit hours. These credits can either be focused on CSR, sustainability, business ethics, or any other course that ties to the PRME principles. There is no set list of classes. All classes, as long as you are able to pull out the important concepts, can count. You must blog at least once about each class you want to count.
GW Community Service
A total of 45 hours (15 hours for 3 semesters) must be spent outside of the classroom, contributing to a group or club that improves the GW university community. This is not limited to Net Impact or the Energy Club, but can be any George Washington University organization, as long as there is relevance to the objectives of the CRM. You must blog at least once a semester as to what you are doing within the club/organization.
Service Learning
At least 50 hours total must be spent participating in a service learning activity. Service learning is a volunteer (unpaid) activity, in which experience and learning are gained. This activity must be approved by the faculty supervisor BEFORE you start. You must post to your blog summarizing the activities and the learning goals accomplished by this component.
Reflective Essay
A five page, double-spaced essay is required that sums up the knowledge, experience, skills, insight, abilities, etc. that you have gained over the course of this program.
The Blog
Once you decide that you are going to participate in the program, you need to send your gmail or gwmail email address to Tara Radin, so you can be included on the group blog. You must blog at the very least once a month. It is also highly recommended that you comment on the blogs of your fellow MBA CRM candidates. Your blogs should be meaningful, relevant to corporate responsibility and reflective.