EFMD

EFMD Global is an international membership organisation founded in 1972 and based in Brussels, Belgium. With 980 institutional members spanning 95 countries and a network of 30,000 management development professionals, EFMD serves as a global forum for information, research, networking, and debate on innovation and best practice in management development.

EFMD exists to promote and enhance excellence in management development globally. The organisation is recognised as a leading accreditation body for business schools, business school programmes, corporate universities, and online learning initiatives. Its accreditation systems—including EQUIS for institutional accreditation and EFMD Accredited for programme accreditation—embed ethics, responsibility, and sustainability as core criteria, reflecting EFMD's commitment to responsible management education.

Central to EFMD's mission is the development of socially responsible leaders and managers. The organisation champions responsible management practices through multiple initiatives, including founding partnership with the United Nations Global Compact and co-founding the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative in 2004. EFMD was instrumental in developing the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), now adopted by 750 institutions globally. The organisation also supports research networks focused on responsible science and gender equality in academia.

EFMD's relevance to the GRLI community lies in its dual focus on educational excellence and responsible leadership development. By convening business schools, corporations, and academic institutions, EFMD creates a unique ecosystem where members collaborate on embedding sustainability, ethics, and social responsibility into management education and organisational practice. This alignment with GRLI's mission makes EFMD a natural partner in advancing globally responsible leadership.