The 50+20 Agenda - Management Education for the World (2012) - English

The 50+20 Agenda presents a transformative vision for management education developed collaboratively by GRLI, WBSCSB, and PRME. Released in 2012 to coincide with the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, this agenda addresses a critical gap: business education frameworks have remained largely unchanged since the 1950s, despite fundamental shifts in global environmental, social, and economic conditions. The document argues that current management education perpetuates outdated paradigms of unlimited growth and consumption that are incompatible with planetary boundaries. It proposes redirecting management education toward developing globally responsible leaders equipped to create businesses designed for the common good rather than competitive advantage alone. The 50+20 vision redefines the role of management educators through three key functions: cultivating responsible leadership, transforming research to serve organisational sustainability, and engaging in public dialogue about economic transformation. Central to this vision is the concept of a "collaboratory"—an open space for collaborative action learning and research. By establishing emerging benchmarks and new standards for management education worldwide, the agenda seeks to catalyse systemic change essential for creating a sustainable, equitable world.