The Center for Sustainability and Responsible Leadership begins activity in Panama

This international center, promoted by the IESA Business School, places Panama in a leadership position in training, research, dissemination and consulting on a fundamental issue: sustainability. It will also make it possible to accompany organizations and their leaders in the transition to a new global economy, more inclusive, equitable and regenerative.

The Sustainability Center promoted by the IESA Business School, begins its operations from the City of Knowledge in Panama, with the purpose of contributing to the development of managers, businessmen and responsible leaders committed to sustainable development, from a management perspective. Likewise, it seeks to promote knowledge, exchange and promote sustainable and responsible leadership principles and practices among public and private organizations in Central America and the Caribbean.

IESA is one of the most recognized business schools in Latin America and, thanks to its new Center for Sustainability and Responsible Leadership, will develop an institutional agenda that aims to accompany organizations and their leaders in the transition to a new global economy, more inclusive, equitable and regenerative.

The project aims to train more than 100 regional managers, businessmen and creators of public policies annually, and influence some 2,700 participants with its dissemination activities. The Center will have the support of its institutional allies, Sumarse, The City of Knowledge Foundation, Sistema B Centroamérica and the Voluntary Dividend for the Community (Dividendo Voluntario para la Comunidad).

Gustavo Roosen, president of IESA, stressed that “companies must operate in harmony with the planet's boundaries and engage in profitable businesses that at the same time contribute to social progress and sustainable development. We believe that the purpose of companies is to maximize the benefit of all their stakeholders, particularly employees, customers and communities, acting with sustainability criteria.”

In the words of Jorge Arosemena Román, Executive President of the City of Knowledge Foundation, "this IESA initiative is to be celebrated - it acts on an issue to which we attach the utmost importance. We are sure that the IESA Center for Sustainability and Responsible Leadership will be integrated very well in the ecosystem of institutions that, from the City of Knowledge, work to build a more just, inclusive and respectful society of the environment, especially along with our International Center for Sustainable Development (CIDES) ".

For his part, Stanley Motta, president of Sumarse, spoke on behalf of the institutional allies, estimating that “this Center places Panama in a leadership position in terms of training, research, dissemination and consulting on a fundamental issue: sustainability. Our country is proud to have an academic center of regional scope, with special emphasis on Central America and the Caribbean, led by a recognized business school such as IESA, with more than 55 years of academic experience, which will allow us to advance in the compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).”

The Center's research agenda will include the development of multidisciplinary lines of research in order to produce useful knowledge in terms of responsible and sustainable management, the development of sustainable business models, regenerative companies, circular economy, inclusive businesses, energy transition, impact of public policies on sustainability and responsible leadership; among others.

In terms of training, the Center currently works on the launch of the Advanced Program for Sustainability Management. This includes an International Master's Degree, courses and academic programs, led by an outstanding team of professors and academicians, with vast international experience. Likewise, the Center will deepen the documentation and dissemination of sustainable corporate management experiences, articles and forums that, added to consulting programs, will allow progress in the development of sustainable business models, compliance and accountability, as well as access to international certifications.

For José Ramón Padilla, director of IESA Panama and coordinator of the Center, “it is a source of great pride to lead a project of this magnitude and to take advantage of the scope and academic activity of the IESA in more than 500 companies in the region to launch the Center in Panama. IESA is the only management school in the region with three business accreditations -AACSB, AMBA and Equis- and one of public management -NASPAA. We are members of the Social Enterprise Knowledge Network (SEKN), created in 2001, thanks to the initiative of Harvard Business School in alliance with the Avina Foundation. In this sense, we make our academic trajectory available to make this Center a benchmark in terms of sustainability.”

This initiative seeks to catalyze the organizational change necessary for companies and institutions to act responsibly in a sustainable economy. It also aims to promote sustainable corporate innovation and social innovation, in addition to facilitating collaboration and dialogue between the various relevant stakeholders at both the national and regional levels.

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