International Management Institute (IMI) New Delhi, a premier business school in India, is leading the way in cultivating socially responsible leaders through its newly launched Sustainability and Social Impact (SSI) Program. The initiative emphasizes real-world engagement in three core areas: primary education, rural development, and empowerment of the underprivileged. Through immersive, hands-on learning experiences, the SSI Program connects students with underserved communities, fostering empathy, social awareness, and a deep sense of responsibility.
In this exclusive interview with TheCSRUniverse, Prof. Sonu Goyal, Dean-Academics at IMI New Delhi, discusses the vision behind SSI, its collaborative model with various partners, and the transformative student experiences that highlight the program's impact. From shaping socially responsible leaders to expanding its reach. The program’s impact is amplified through strategic partnerships with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) primary schools, NGOs, and the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA). These collaborations provide students with opportunities to address pressing societal challenges, from enhancing educational outcomes for primary school children to contributing to sustainable development in rural areas. Students have shared transformative experiences from the program, reflecting how volunteering in community initiatives has shaped their commitment to social change. By addressing real-life challenges, they have gained insights and skills that extend far beyond the classroom.
Read the full interview to understand how SSI is creating a more equitable and sustainable future:
Q. Could you share the vision behind launching the Sustainability and Social Impact (SSI) Program at IMI New Delhi? How does this program align with IMI’s overall mission of developing socially responsible leaders?
A. IMI New Delhi is led by its strong mission to develop responsible and socially sensitive leaders. This has been one of the key drivers shaping IMI’s vision of becoming a premier management school. The school as a member of Principles of Responsible Management (PRME), a UN Global Compact initiative, since July 2019, and the Global Compact Network of India since Feb 2018, strongly symbolizes a culture of sustainability and social responsibility within the IMI community.
In line with its mission the Sustainability and Social Impact program (SSI) has been launched to impart a spirit of engaged citizenship amongst its students by encouraging participation in sustainability and social initiatives. This immersive program provides learning beyond the classroom through select volunteering opportunities addressing social inequities. The SSI interventions around capacity building for sustainable livelihoods, access to holistic education, awareness campaigns and training for better health and hygiene etc. shall foster a deep sense of social responsibility amongst IMI students, through on ground exposure to the challenging realities faced by the underserved communities.
Q. The program focuses on three core pillars: Primary Education, Rural Development, and Empowerment of the Underprivileged. Could you elaborate on each of these areas and why they were chosen as focal points for the SSI program?
A. The Sustainability and Social Impact (SSI) Program has undertaken - Primary Education, Rural Development, and Empowerment of the Underprivileged, as the key focus areas for the interventions, as part of the program. The aim is to inculcate social sensitivity amongst students, emphasizing the need for inclusive socio-economic transformation.
In the past IMI had been engaging with the primary MCD schools in its vicinity, through a variety of volunteering initiatives organized by the students of the social club Jagriti; as well as several NGOs as part of its NGO internship program for the PGDM(HRM) program. IMI empanelment with UBA allowed IMI to engage with 5 villages in its vicinity. Thus, it became a natural choice to include all three focus areas as an integral part of the SSI program structure, to be rolled out formally for students across all PGDM programs.
The SSI program has emerged as a platform for exploring opportunities to participate in activities that address economic, social and environmental challenges around these key focus areas. The social interventions covered under the program are designed in partnership with MCD primary schools, select NGOs and Gram Panchayat of villages. Given their reach and access to the underserved communities, the partnership model facilitates activities in an impactful manner.
Q. In terms of primary education, IMI has partnered with MCD primary schools. How are students involved in enhancing educational outcomes for these schools, and what kind of impact are you hoping to have in this area?
A. IMI’s association with the neighborhood primary MCD Primary schools (Boys and Girls) located in Katwaria Sarai, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi, for the last many years helped build goodwill with these schools. The institute had begun to provide resources such as computers for basic computer literacy to primary schools since 2022. These government primary schools have a combined student strength of approximately 357. With the SSI program getting initiated we could envisage a much larger formal engagement with the boys and the girls’ schools on a continuous basis. The aim is to bridge the literacy and digital divide that we witness amongst the children studying in the government versus private schools, due to the wide disparity in their access to resources such as teaching aids, sufficient teachers and infrastructure, resulting in less effective learning outcomes.
IMI students are conducting foundational Math, English, Computer literacy, general awareness classes in primary government schools, empowering students with essential digital skills necessary to navigate digitally connected world. In addition, the focus is also towards nurturing creativity and well-being by offering hobby classes such as music, dance, personality development, theatre and general awareness amongst primary school children. These activities will foster creative expression and promote holistic development of young students, nurturing their well-being.
Q. Rural development is another key pillar of the SSI Program, particularly through Unnat Bharat Abhiyan. Could you tell us more about the specific rural initiatives IMI students are involved in and the types of experiences they gain from working directly in these communities?
A. IMI was empaneled under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) in September 2021 during the COVID period. UBA is a flagship program of the Ministry of Education (MoE) Govt. of India. IMI adopted a cluster of villages in the vicinity of the campus in discussion with the District Collectors. Aligning with the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) initiative, students will participate in awareness programs and social initiatives within villages adopted by IMI. This will empower students to contribute to the villages for the sustainable development of the residing communities, fostering a spirit of partnership and creating positive social impact. To start with the institute has partnered with the local government schools in one of the villages to administer the household survey as part of the need assessment exercise, guided by IIT Delhi, nodal center for UBA for IMI. Other than that there is plan to conduct Gram Sabha in coordination with the local councilors and panchayat officials.
Q. Empowering the underprivileged is central to this program. How do partnerships with NGOs contribute to this goal, and what unique learning opportunities do they offer to students?
A. IMI has formally partnered with established NGOs to facilitate student volunteering as part of the SSI program. While the NGOs gain by leveraging the problem solving and critical thinking skills of students in managing ongoing social initiatives; IMI students get to understand the developmental challenges faced by the underprivileged section of society. Students also get a perspective on how to work with the communities, through their extended interactions with the professionals managing the NGO activities. Students also get to understand the working of the NGOs and their approach towards finding sustainable solutions to problems. A larger number of NGOs such as Society for Participatory Integrated Development (SPID), Sarvpriye Foundation, Mobile Creches, Centre for Catalyzing Change (C3), Aroh Foundation, Aurobindo Ashram, Jamghat, Neofusion, Navjyoti India Foundation have formally joined hands with IMI New Delhi for providing volunteering opportunity to the students, in their ongoing projects.
Students have been privileged to get learning opportunities while working with these select NGOs, managing some unique challenges. For instance, Mobile Creches focuses on health, nutrition, early learning, and care for children living at the construction sites of Delhi (NCR) and encourages construction companies to institutionalize creches at their sites as a policy. Sri Aurobindo Institute of Vocational training provides a residential program for the economically weaker section empowering youth to seek sustainable livelihood. Jamghat is a non-profit organization of inspired young members and volunteers working with street children and other vulnerable children. Students interacted with these young children in theatre and performing arts.
Q. Since you focus on experiential learning, how does it help students develop empathy and a commitment to social change? How do you engage the students in that respect?
A. Students have embarked on a four-month journey of applied social learning through an ethnographic immersion approach. This involves in-depth observation and interaction with communities to understand their needs. Each student dedicates specified hours of volunteering service to complete the SSI program. The SSI engagement not only recognizes student commitment but also incentivizes active participation in creating positive outcome-based changes. A formal assessment process will facilitate objective measurement of the societal impact made through various interventions.
By recognizing and valuing the diverse perspectives and experiences of the beneficiary groups, the program creates a space for open dialogue, collaboration, and innovation. Additionally, the program encourages active engagement by providing opportunities for hands-on learning, community outreach, and social impact initiatives. This active participation empowers students to take ownership of their learning and contribute meaningfully to society. By working directly with marginalized communities, students are gaining firsthand insights into the challenges faced by them and are inspired to develop innovative solutions.
The SSI program will be a transformative program at IMI, equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to become responsible leaders, who contribute to a more just and sustainable future.
Q. Can you share any specific student experiences that illustrate how the SSI Program is shaping their commitment to social impact? Are there examples of students who have shown a transformation in their outlook or who have made notable contributions through their involvement?
A. The SSI program is fostering a sense of social responsibility and a commitment amongst the students, to making a positive impact in the lives of the beneficiary groups they engage with. By equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to drive social change, the program is nurturing future leaders with a motivation to shape a more equitable and sustainable world. This is evident in experiences captured in the logbooks maintained by the students for field visits made by them.
For instance, Anamika Sau, PGDM (HRM) student, has noted, "Volunteering in the SSI was a very fulfilling and transformative experience for me. Teaching computer skills to first-generation learners at a girls' MCD school was inspiring, as I saw them confidently grasp employability skills like typing in Microsoft Word. After a very rigorous 3 months of MBA, this opportunity was a refreshing reminder of the power of education in creating a lasting social impact."
Shobhita, a PGDM student, highlighted her excitement on the first visit, expressing that this experience was something new in her MBA journey. Shivam Vashishth, PGDM student, conducted digital marketing sessions for adult learners at the Aurobindo Ashram. He tailored his approach to meet the specific needs and interests of his audience, creating an inclusive and engaging learning environment. Tanya Singh, another PGDM student, conducted training for early-stage women entrepreneurs at Aroh foundation. She included key topics such as applying for loan, acquiring Ayushman and Ration cards, GST registration etc. “We also created a WhatsApp group to provide personalized problem-solving support. My role involved guiding beneficiaries through these topics, assisting with paperwork, and fostering engagement,” noted Tanya in her visit logbook.
Nipun Dhingra PGDM, who volunteered at Mobile Creches, Dakshinpuri, reminisced his final session as, “We began by revisiting all the topics we had covered so far, ensuring a joyful recap of their learning journey. The session was filled with fun as we enjoyed some energetic dancing, followed by engaging storytelling that sparked their imagination. We also introduced the children to yoga, teaching them simple poses and explaining its benefits for their well-being. To wrap up the day, we distributed chocolates and bid a heartfelt goodbye to the little ones, cherishing the memorable moments we shared with them.”
Q. Collaboration with various partners like MCD schools, NGOs, and Unnat Bharat Abhiyan plays a vital role in this initiative. How have these partnerships strengthened the program’s impact, and are there particular contributions from partners that have been especially significant?
A. Partnerships enabled designing of interventions, with clear focus on the existing needs of the communities, where the partners have ongoing programs. This allowed IMI students to make a formal entry, with ready acceptance amongst the beneficiaries, trusting student engagement activities. Going through the partners in various locations has provided assurance and credibility to IMI teams, as they engage with communities and focus groups. Students are being sensitized to the challenges, in the initial orientation sessions held by many of the partnering NGOs, and discussion with school principals and teachers. In addition, partnering with the NGOs has provided understanding of varied approaches to fulfill the developmental needs across children, women and marginalized sections of the society.
Q. What are the plans for the SSI Program? Are there any plans to expand the scope of the program, engage additional partners, or increase the number of students involved?
A. The SSI program is mandatory for the students across all programs, and they will need to complete the minimum hours of specified volunteering in their first year of the program. This is an essential and integral part of the academic curriculum, and mandatory for the award of diploma. Through the SSI program IMI aims to make a visible and measurable social impact, which should progressively amplify over the years. The partnership model gives us the opportunity to expand the network by reaching out to more primary MCD schools, NGOs and villages closer to the campus. The design and roll out of the program are crucial in its first year as we are learning with experience. The team of faculty members, facilitated by the SSI Chair and led by the Dean Academics, is highly committed and is confident of making it a success from year one itself.
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