Strategic partner student-driven network advancing sustainability in economics and management education across 45+ chapters worldwide.
oikos International is a student-led organization founded in 1987 that works to transform economics and management education toward sustainability. Operating as a network of over 50 chapters across 24 countries, oikos mobilizes student change agents to advance responsible management practices and sustainability awareness within business and economics curricula.
The organization's core mission centers on embedding sustainability into mainstream management and economics education, recognizing that educational institutions play a critical role in shaping future leaders and decision-makers. oikos operates on the principle of "walking the talk," combining advocacy for systemic educational change with direct action through student-led initiatives and research projects.
oikos maintains strong connections to responsible leadership and sustainability in management education through active partnerships with the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), including collaborative programs such as LEAP Researchers—a cohort-based initiative supporting emerging researchers in responsible management education. The organization contributes to thought leadership on integrating sustainability into business curricula and supports the development of inclusive, sustainable leadership approaches.
The organization's relevance to the GRLI community lies in its direct engagement with the next generation of business leaders and its focus on institutional change within management education. By empowering students to champion sustainability and responsible practices within their institutions, oikos addresses a fundamental gap in how business education prepares leaders for complex global challenges. This student-centered approach to educational transformation aligns closely with GRLI's mission to advance responsible leadership globally.