The Certificate in Responsible Management
About the Certificate
History
After returning from the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) Conference at the United Nations in New York City from December 11th-12th, Professor John Forrer and MBA student Ari Isaacman reflected upon the lessons learned collaborating with global leaders in this field. As a signatory school of PRME, the George Washington University School of Business has an obligation to uphold the Six Principles of PRME. The MBA student organization Net Impact has begun the effort to incorporate these objectives into activities and curriculum throughout the business school. Also, the Institute for Corporate Responsibility has used the PRME framework to guide its practices in this field.
Why a Certification Program?
A certification program would allow MBA students to be rewarded for their dedication to the Six Principles of the PRME. Specific requirements would guide students to participate in three distinct areas. Students will be able to choose between alternatives to fulfill each of these components.
Learning Goals of the Certificate in Responsible Management
Taken from: The Six Principles of PRME
- Purpose: We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global economy.
- Values: We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global Compact.
- Method: We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.
- Research: We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable social, environmental and economic value.
- Partnership: We will interact with managers of business corporations to extend our knowledge of their challenges in meeting social and environmental responsibilities and to explore jointly effective approaches to meeting these challenges.
- Dialogue: We will facilitate and support dialog and debate among educators, business, government, consumers, media, civil society organizations and other interested groups and stakeholders on critical issues related to global social responsibility and sustainability. We understand that our own organizational practices should serve as example of the values and attitudes we convey to our students.
Further Information
Further information can be found at CRM Presentation to Students.
Apply
Complete application and send to Ari Isaacman with subject line 'Certificate in Responsible Management' and your name, graduation date, and email in the text of the email. If you have other questions, you may contact Lisa Manning.
Coordinator
Professor John Forrer, ICR.
Founders
Ari Isaacman, MBA 2010.
Lisa Manning, MBA 2010.
Components of the Certificate
To receive the Certificate upon graduation, students will fulfill the three components listed below while maintaining a blog and updating a progress report on Blackboard.
- Classroom: 6 credit hours. These credits can either be from specific CSR related courses or any other course.
- Extracurricular: At least 15 hours for each of 3 semesters must be spent outside of the classroom, contributing to a group or club that improves the university community. This is not limited to Net Impact and can be any George Washington University organization.
- A one-page summary of extracurricular activities must be posted to the blog summarizing activities and the learning goals accomplished by this component.
- Service Learning: At least 50 hours total must be spent participating in a community service activity during time at the GWU SB. This can range from serving as an undergraduate mentor to tutoring low-income children and from building a school abroad to providing pro bono consulting services as part of a service corps. At least ten hours of the service must be to the same organization.
- A supervisor must sign off on the hours and the activity must be approved by the chair.
- Again, a one page summary of extracurricular activities must be posted to the blog summarizing activities and the learning goals accomplished by this component.
Certificate Candidate Student Blogs
2009
Tips
The Blog: we want everyone to be updating their blogs as much as possible!
- However, the word counts and once a month update requirements are suggestions - you are welcome to make your blog your own and specific to you.
- Many people have added it to the bottom of their signature lines on email and even their business cards as this can give potential employers a better feel for your personality and interests
- Don't hesititate to comment on other people's blogs and get ideas about how to write on yours, what to do, etc. by looking at other people's blogs - all located here
- Feel free to link your blog to newspaper articles, other websites, etc. - you are more than welcome to discuss anything related to the PRME principles on your blog
Community Service: please ensure that your service is to the community - check with
Professor Forrer with any questions
Extracurricular: does
not have to be Net Impact; can be any organization on campus, within the business school or any other campus organization
Coursework: you must blog about the coursework while taking it (share your wealth of knowledge!) so past course work does not count; however, the burden of proof is on you to make it related to the
PRME principles - blogging about the course and what you are learning will prove that it can be in any department, etc.
Final Paper: the final paper should be turned into Professor Forrer by March of the year in which you are applying for the certificate - the certificate ceremoney will be held every April, complete with speakers, food, and drink to celebrate! A save the date will be coming soon!
First Years: we are looking for first years to take on the leadership roles Lisa and I currently have starting January 2010, please email
me for more information
Still confused?
An example of a walk through the Certificate in Responsible Management from start to finish:
- Applicant Biz downloads the application form where it says 'application' here.
- Biz prints the application out.
- He follows the directions to create a WordPress blog and e-mails me to say - here's my blog!
- His blog is then added to the certificate website here for all to see!
- Biz logs his hours doing community service, extracurriculars, and classes related to the six Priniciples of Responsible Management on his printed application form and blogs about it online.
- When it is spring of his second year, Biz takes his blog entries and makes them into a 5-page double-spaced paper explaining to an employer how the Certificate in Responsible Management makes him a different kind of employee.
- Biz turns this into Professor Forrer with his completed application (with all of the logs complete!)
- Professor Forrer deems Biz ready to receive the Certificate in Responsible Management at the wonderful graduation ceremony in April of his second year!
Resources for Certificate Candidates
Volunteer Resources for the Certificate in Responsible Management Applicants
- Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington
1. Visit: http://volunteerlink.bgcgw.org
2. Search for a club near you or a specific opportunity, such as mentoring Smart Girls.
3. Contact the listed person to coordinate volunteering.
- 22nd Annual Help the Homeless Walkathon
This annual event has become an MBA tradition. Join your fellow students for a fun event
that helps a good cause. To find out more, visit the website at www.helpthehomelessdc.org.
Information about signing up for the GW team will be posted shortly.
Saturday, November 21, 2009 9:00 am National Mall
- SOME – So Others Might Eat
The mission of SOME is twofold: first, it strives to meet the needs of the poor and homeless
through immediate services such as food, clothing, and medical care; second, it works to
empower our clients through substance-abuse rehabilitation, job training, and housing
programs so that they can eliminate their cycles of poverty and dependence. SOME helps
people help themselves. Contact David Bright at 202-797-0701 ext 103 dbright@some.org
and visit the website at www.some.org
- Miriam’s Kitchen
Miriam's Kitchen, winner of the 2001 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Non-Profit
Management, is a breakfast program for people who are homeless, located in the Foggy
Bottom neighborhood of Washington DC. Miriam's provides a hot, nutritious breakfast each
weekday morning to around 150 men and women.
Contact Steve Badt at 202-452-8927 and visit the website at www.miriamskitchen.org.
- Suited for Change
Suited for Change Washington DC based private non-profit organization, provides
professional clothing and ongoing career education to low-income women who have
completed job training and/or job readiness programs and are seeking
employment. Volunteer orientations are scheduled for 6:30 – 8:00 pm on September 12 and
November 14. Contact Joyce Thomas at joyce@suitedforchange.org if you would like to
volunteer. Phone 202-293-0351 or www.suitedforchange.org.
- The Reading Connection
The Reading Connection seeks to encourage a love of books by reading aloud to children,
offering them access to high quality books and giving them age-appropriate books to keep.
Often these are the first books many of these children have ever owned. By sharing the joy
of reading with children in crisis, The Reading Connection hopes to show them a world
outside shelter walls, a world of wondrous possibilities and dreams that literacy can help
make come true. Visit the website at www.thereadingconnection.org to get more
information or fill out an application.
- GW Office of Community Service
800 21st St., NW, Marvin Center Suite 436
(202) 994-5493, ocs@gwu.edu
gwired.gwu.edu/volunteer
Many volunteering opportunities, especially those located near campus. Current projects
include Community Building Community, DC Reads, Jumpstart, Neighbors Project, and
Outreach. visit the office on the fourth floor of the Marvin Center or subscribe to the OSC
list-serve ocslistserve-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
