Geneva, 14 October 2026 — Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy and the Higher Education for Good foundation announce their partnership to help transform management education worldwide. Part of the Transforming Business Education for Flourishing initiative, this collaboration brings together academic stakeholders and international networks around an initial series of pilot projects. It aims to better prepare future leaders to integrate human dignity, nature conservation and collective wellbeing into their decisions and actions.
A shared ambition to educate leaders who are aware of their responsibilities
Decisions taken by businesses and institutions shape our societies and our relationship with the living world. In this context, business schools educate people who will go on to hold positions of responsibility across a wide range of sectors, from business and finance to public institutions. This education therefore has a key role to play in addressing environmental and social challenges.
The partnership between Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy and Higher Education for Good is founded on a shared conviction: the prosperity of our societies cannot be separated from the health of the natural world and our collective wellbeing. Educating tomorrow’s leaders therefore means equipping them to understand these interdependencies and take them into account in their decisions.
The partnership combines Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy’s commitment to nature conservation and to a balance between human societies and their environment with Higher Education for Good’s expertise in transforming educational practices.
Together, the two organisations aim to help advance approaches to teaching and learning and deepen understanding of the close links between the prosperity of our societies, the health of our economies and that of the natural world.
“From boardrooms to the field, I have seen how decisions made far from nature can shape its future. I believe tomorrow’s leaders must learn that our prosperity and the health of the natural world are inseparable. By bringing together young people, educators and real-world experience, this initiative can help translate that understanding into action. I see no more important investment in our shared future.”
Dona Bertarelli, Chair of Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy
An international effort to advance educational practices
As part of the Transforming Business Education for Flourishing initiative, Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy and Higher Education for Good work alongside leading international organisations, including the Club of Rome, the International Humanistic Management Association (IHMA) and the Presencing Institute.
This effort seeks to bring together those committed to advancing management education and to support an initial phase of experimentation. The aim is to identify promising approaches, share lessons learned and gradually extend their use internationally, contributing to lasting transformation across the entire management education system.
Higher Education for Good coordinates this work, drawing on insights from Youth Talks, its global consultation on young people’s aspirations. The ambition is to move from individual initiatives towards a collective effort capable of supporting lasting change in management education.
Early initiatives already under way
The partnership is already supporting several projects led by recognised organisations, including the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative (GRLI), the Global Business School Network (GBSN), the Club of Rome and the Presencing Institute. These initiatives explore several ways to bring about change: strengthening cooperation between academic networks, supporting educators and developing new forms of interaction between business schools, companies and local communities.
Particular emphasis is also placed on the participation of young people, whose aspirations are central to this work. Building on Youth Talks, which gathered around one million ideas and responses from some 50,000 young people in 212 countries and territories, a new consultation will soon be launched with the Club of Rome and oikos International. It will gather the views of young people involved in management education communities on the changes they wish to see. This approach seeks to make young people’s voices a meaningful driver of change in educational practices.
The initiative also benefits from the support of an international Advisory Board, established to guide the partnership between Higher Education for Good and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy. Bringing together higher education leaders and experts from different regions of the world, it helps inform the initiative’s strategic direction and priorities for action.
Its members include Carlos Álvarez Pereira, Secretary General of the Club of Rome; Eric Cornuel, President of EFMD Global; Alice Guilhon, Dean and Executive President of SKEMA Business School and Chair of HE4G; Marine Hadengue, Executive Director of HE4G; Santiago Iñiguez de Onzoño, President of IE University; Andrew Jack, Global Education Editor at the Financial Times; Professor Jiang Bo, an expert in international cooperation and former Vice-President of Tongji University; Cécile Jolly, Executive Director of Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy; Thomas Römer, Chairman of the Collège de France; Charles Steinmyller, Director of People, Sports & Education at Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy; and Frédérique Vidal, former French Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation and Director of Strategy and Scientific Impact at SKEMA Business School.
“Education must empower everyone to flourish and contribute to a shared future. This means learning to think freely, understand others and cooperate across borders and cultures. Young people remind us how much this matters. It is up to us to bring this ambition to life in our schools and universities, educating women and men who can act for the common good and protect the living world.”
Alice Guilhon, Chair of Higher Education for Good Foundation
About Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy
Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy is committed to a harmonious balance between people and nature, with environmental protection at the heart of its work. Together with its partners, it works through advocacy, education, scientific research, technology and support for initiatives led by local communities to bring about profound and lasting change for the benefit of the living world and future generations.
donabertarelliphilanthropy.org
About Higher Education for Good Foundation
Higher Education for Good is a Swiss foundation that supports the transformation of higher education to better prepare young people for today’s challenges. Through Youth Talks and its partnerships, it draws on young people’s aspirations to engage education stakeholders in dialogue and help shape curricula and educational practices. The foundation was originally established by SKEMA Business School and SKEMA Endowment Fund.
Cécile Jolly (Executive Director, Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy) and Alice Guilhon (Chair of the Higher Education for Good Foundation; Dean and Executive President, SKEMA Business School)