Lucknow – The Social Responsibility Committee of Jaipuria Institute of Management, Lucknow, under the guidance of Dr. Reena Agrawal, Chairperson – Social Responsibility Committee, hosted a landmark event that marked the launch of the UN PRME (Principles for Responsible Management Education) Regional Hub,Jaipuria Institute of Management Lucknow drawing attention to the critical importance of sustainability in management education. This significant occasion brought together a distinguished group of academicians and leaders, setting the stage for a profound discussion on how educational institutions can contribute to and collaborate in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event commenced with a warm welcome to the guests, who were presented with Green Certificates, followed by an introduction to the topic by Dr. Sushma Vishnani, Dean of Academics at Jaipuria Lucknow. She set the tone for the day’s discussions, which centered on the theme: “How Management Institutes Can Contribute and Collaborate to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
This theme served as a dynamic platform for the exchange of ideas, strategies, and best practices. The panellists explored how management institutes can seamlessly integrate SDGs into their curricula, thereby preparing future business leaders to advocate for sustainable practices. They emphasized the vital role that educational institutions play in driving the global sustainability agenda and discussed the potential for collaboration with industry and government bodies to create a synergy that can propel these efforts forward.
The event featured an impressive panel of experts, including:
- Dr Chandrika Parmar, India Chapter Head of UN PRME and Associate Professor at SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai.
- Abhishek Yadav, Director, Rama Degree College.
- Sheetal Sharma, Dean-IILM Academy of Higher Learning, Lucknow.
Dr Chandrika Parmar talked about developing a Sustainability mindset in the students and said “as educators, we seed a thought in the students with the hope that it stays and the students will nurture that idea of social responsibility. We also hope that the active citizens today will become cosmopolitan global leaders tomorrow. When the responsible youth today will reach leadership roles in future, they will have a sustainability mindset. The youth today are the trustees of tomorrow”.
Speaking of climate change, Dr.Parmar talked about a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) which tracked extreme weather events that occurred in India last year and found that the country, overall, experienced such events on 314 out of the 365 days.
“Sustainable future is not only about ecology, it is about social justice and economic equity“, she added. Dr Chandrika Parmar, initiated and skilfully moderated the panel discussion.
Abhishek Yadav, Director, Rama Degree College said”Employment will play a crucial role in achieving the SDG goals of Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption and Production, Partnerships for the goals. Providing employment is the first essential step in the journey of achieving sustainable goals.
Dr. Sheetal Sharma, Dean-IILM Academy of Higher Learning, Lucknow advocated for promoting paperless organizations, preferring public transport, bicycles, and carpooling instead of using individual vehicles, avoiding the usage of plastic bottles, and alternative ways of energy conservation like solar and rainwater harvesting as the first steps in saving the environment and bringing change.
The event was not just a celebration of the launch of the UN PRME Regional Hub but also a powerful reminder of the collective responsibility that educational institutions bear in shaping a sustainable future. It reinforced the commitment to social and environmental causes and aimed to inspire the next generation of business leaders to champion these causes.
The event concluded with a heartfelt gesture of appreciation, as Dr Reena Agrawal and Dr. SushmaVishnani honoured the panellists with tokens of Mementoes.
Dr. Rehan Hussain then delivered a vote of thanks, acknowledging the valuable contributions of all participants and underscoring the importance of continued collaboration in the pursuit of sustainable development.
