PRME at Davos 2026: Advancing Responsible and Regenerative Leadership Through Education

The Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) was thrilled to represent the UN Global Compact and participate in the 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, contributing to this year’s theme, A Spirit of Dialogue. Against a backdrop of global uncertainty and opportunity, PRME’s engagement underscored the critical role of education in shaping responsible leaders capable of advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fostering ethical, forward-thinking approaches to management and decision-making.

Building on this unique convening opportunity, PRME hosted an in-person side event in the TPC House, “Accelerating Responsible Leadership in Education and Beyond.” The side event welcomed a broad and dynamic group of participants, including private sector representatives, government officials, civil society leaders, young people, academics, researchers and UN officials. The objective was twofold: to highlight promising practices and recent developments in responsible leadership education, and to create a space for open dialogue and collaboration oriented toward concrete action.

A central feature of the event was a panel discussion featuring Dr. Omid Aschari, Senior Advisor, UN Global Compact; Rudolf Hilti, Founder, HUS and the Systems Change Foundation; Sook Yee Tai, Chairperson, No. 17 Foundation; and Alf Wulf, VP of VDE. Together, they offered powerful reflections on the systemic nature of today’s challenges and the transformative potential of education.

Key insights from the discussion emphasized that every system we hope to change will ultimately be shaped by the young people we choose to support today. Panelists noted that having been educated within “extractive” systems, it is unsurprising that many societies continue to struggle to imagine alternatives grounded in care and sustainability. Education, they stressed, remains the most powerful lever available, not only to prepare individuals for jobs, but to prepare societies for responsibility. By supporting young people early, the panel concluded, we do more than help individuals succeed; we strengthen entire ecosystems and lay the groundwork for lasting, systemic change.

PRME also participated in “Education for Regenerative Leadership: Reawakening Purpose, Values and Systems Thinking,” held at the TPC House as part of the Davos Accredited Series: East–West Bridges. Featuring leaders from philanthropy, business, and healthcare, the session explored how education rooted in values, consciousness, and systems thinking can cultivate regenerative leaders capable of reshaping—not just navigating—today’s broken systems. Drawing on Eastern wisdom traditions and lived leadership experience, the discussion invited participants to reimagine education’s purpose toward stewardship, interdependence, and long-term planetary well-being.

PRME’s engagement at Davos reaffirmed its commitment to advancing responsible management education worldwide and to fostering the collaborations needed to turn dialogue into action. If we want to change how business is led, we must change the way business is taught. As the academic arm of the UN Global Compact, PRME is dedicated to developing the responsible business leaders who will drive that transformation.