Empowering ethical and socially responsible leadership through management education – A case study on the IEDC-Bled School of Management

Abstract

This chapter explores the development of the IEDC-Bled School of Management, the oldest (32 years) management school in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2009, it was rated among the top 100 business schools worldwide in the Aspen Institute’s “Beyond Grey Pinstripes” ranking, for having demonstrated significant leadership in integrating social, environmental and ethical issues into its Executive MBA program. Socially responsible, sustainable and ethical principles are the “DNA” of the IEDC-Bled School of Management’s philosophy, and the institution takes a humanistic approach to management and leadership learning. This chapter investigates IEDC’s socially responsible practices and pathways over a period of 32 years, and explores the challenges, achievements, and internal and external implications of its actions for the institution’s stakeholders and local and wider society.