"Sustainability is not a sprint, it’s an Ironman!"
"At TUM School of Management, we have come a tremendous way over the years to integrate sustainability into research and teaching. Sustainability and social responsibility have evolved from a separate function to a holistic and fundamental driver of our responsible management. In my role as Sustainability Manager of the TUM School of Management, I am thrilled to be part of this transformational journey and to bring the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) to life at our school.
Our PRME report covers a critical time of great change. A global post-pandemic world and sudden turmoil in global energy markets. Such disruptions have prompted significant reflection on the way forward for the world, and the importance of sustainability and social responsibility has crystallised more than ever, especially in the business world. At the TUM School of Management, we embrace our role as educators and researchers, equipping future business leaders with relevant and unique skills needed to address global societal challenges. As such, we encourage our students to be critical, focused and pragmatic.
To this end, we have decided to focus on five SDGs, specifically 5, 7, 11, 12 and 13. This crafting process helps us to prioritise and excel as a leading business school in Europe and around the world. The PRME provides an important foundation for our approach to educating the next generation of actionoriented business leaders, and an inspiration for expanding the focus on the five SDGs at the university level.
In particular, I would like to highlight the importance of SDG 7 'Affordable and clean energy for all' as one of our focus SDGs. Renewable energy technology and its management, both in established companies and in impact-driven start-ups, is an important and timely topic. We offer our students the opportunity to learn, develop and address complex issues around sustainable energy in a newly established specialisation within our Master in Management and Technology, which is offered at the main TUM campus in Munich. This is on the same wavelength as the launch of a new degree programme in Sustainable Management and Technology at the TUM campus in Straubing.
Our progress towards PRME principles has been significant, but we recognise that this is only the beginning. We look forward to taking responsibility and maintaining our focus. For us, PRME is not a sprint, it’s an Ironman!
It requires consistency in training and perseverance in competition. It requires commitment and an iron will in challenging times. We remain committed to responsible management education for a fairer and more sustainable world.
But see for yourself and take a look at our latest PRME report."
Frank-Martin Belz is Professor of Corporate Sustainability at the TUM School of Management and with his expertise serves as the school's Sustainability Manager. He is also Director of the TUM SEED Center, an international and interdisciplinary Center of Excellence. His research and teaching focus on sustainable entrepreneurship.