For its commitment to educating future business leaders about sustainability, innovation and ethical business practices, Siena’s MBA program is now listed as a signatory with the United Nations’ Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME).
UN PRME was founded in 2007 as a platform to raise the profile of sustainability in colleges and universities around the world, and to prepare today's business students “with the understanding and ability to deliver change tomorrow.”
Siena is one of 650 signatories worldwide, and the only one in the Capital Region, according to James P. Murtagh, Ph.D., professor of finance and director of the MBA program.
“Siena’s MBA program was designed from its inception to align with the Franciscan values of reverence for creation and engagement with the world in an ethical manner,” said Murtagh. “These values also form the basis for the UN PRME’s goals.”
Working through six principles – purpose, values, method, research, partnership and dialogue -
PRME helps ensure that their signatory schools provide future leaders with the skills needed to balance economic and sustainability goals, while drawing attention to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligning colleges with the work of the UN Global Compact.
The introductory course "Responsible Global Leadership," introduces PRME to every MBA student at Siena.
A letter of commitment was sent to the UN from Siena in December; acceptance as a signatory was granted in late January. While the agreement is currently for the MBA program, Murtagh said Siena is working to revise and update its undergraduate offerings to be included in PRME as well.
“In addition to learning hard business skills, our graduates will be equipped with the critical skills needed to cope with the challenges of sustainability,” he said. “The ethics of responsibility as it relates to the environment are a consistent thread that runs through our entire program.”
