The “Principles for Responsible Management Education” (UN PRME) are an initiative of the UN Global Compact, the corporate network of the United Nations for sustainable and responsible corporate governance. Analogous to the Global Compact vision of an inclusive and sustainable global economy, based on universal principles of human and labor rights, environmental protection and prevention of corruption, the PRME aim to establish a responsible management education.

"The Principles for Responsible Management Education have the capacity to take the case for universal values and business into classrooms on every continent."

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

While UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan founded the Global Compact as early as 1999 during the World Economic Forum in Davos, the PRME were originated by his successor Ban Ki-moon in 2007. They are based on six principles, which shall contribute towards making education and research at universities more responsible. Similar to the then principles of the Global Compact, they represent voluntary guidelines to anchor the topics sustainability, ethics and responsibility deeply into the education of our students.

Universities play a key role in the process of educating future managerial staff for all areas of society, which can turn them into a major driving force for sustainable development and responsible cooperate governance. This role is already supported through PRME at 600 member institutions in 80 countries. The initiative provides a platform for the commitment of the members to train their students to become responsibly acting future leaders.