PRME Students Share the Impact of the 2025 Mentorship Programme

The PRME Students Mentorship Programme has once again demonstrated its power to guide and inspire students committed to responsible management and sustainability. From March to September, 2025, 64 students from 21 countries connected with experienced professionals across sectors, gaining insights, practical tools, and networks to support their academic and career journeys. For this cohort, the Programme has had a transformative impact on personal growth, career clarity, and professional confidence. Read on to hear from three of the 2025 cohort participants and learn more about the impact of the experience:

Sainath Vishwanath Adelli: Rekindling Purpose and Embracing Servant Leadership

Corvinus University of Budapest, MBA Graduate

Sainath reflected on how the Programme helped him regain structure in his goal-setting and develop new perspectives on leadership. His mentor, a dedicated PhD candidate, demonstrated a level of preparation and intentionality in each session that deeply influenced Sainath’s own approach to personal and professional development, “Two valuable skills I learned were the importance of being structured and prepared for meetings. Additionally, being kind and investing time and energy into developing others made me more empathetic about my role toward others in my workspace.”

This empathy extended further when Sainath participated in a reverse mentorship session, where he took on the role of mentor. Drawing from his corporate and academic experiences, he supported his mentor’s teaching and research with tailored insights. The experience illuminated the reciprocal power of mentorship and sparked a deeper interest in servant leadership, a style focused on leading with empathy, humility, and purpose.

Most significantly, the Programme reignited Sainath’s long-term goal of becoming a purpose-driven entrepreneur, equipped with a clear vision and a renewed commitment to creating positive change in a complex world.

Community and Confidence in Isolation

University of Cape Town, Bachelor of Arts honours specialising in Environmental and Geographical Sciences

For another student, who wished to remain anonymous, the Programme provided a vital sense of community. As the only sustainability professional in her organization, she often felt isolated in her work. Through the Programme, she not only gained a sense of connection but also critical skills in advocacy, “One of the most valuable lessons I gained was how to better communicate the value of sustainability within my organisation. The programme helped me build skills and confidence to advocate for sustainable practices more effectively.”

A session focused on sustainability and leadership particularly inspired her when her mentor opened up about their own journey through isolation and career challenges. As she reflected, "Hearing my mentor's story of overcoming isolation and challenges in their own career made a lasting impression and motivated me to keep pushing forward." This highlights the strength of match-making within the Programme itself.

The experience had a powerful impact on her trajectory, offering “Guidance, community, and inspiration that are crucial for personal and professional growth.” It reinforced her dedication to sustainability, boosted her confidence, and inspired her to pursue leadership roles—now grounded in the knowledge that she’s part of a global community that shares her purpose.

Nikhil Reddy Gogu: Bridging Finance with Sustainability

MBA candidate in Financial Services at Woxsen University

Nikhil joined the Programme to integrate his finance expertise with the sustainability agenda. Throughout the sessions, he discovered that his finance background can actually serve the sustainability ecosystem. The mentorship's most transformative insight was recognizing that sustainability careers aren't confined to a single track but span an integrated landscape of opportunities, from green innovation to sustainable finance, each requiring the analytical and strategic skills he had already developed.

During the first session, Nikil’s mentor introduced the "Sustainability Interests and Aligned Career Pathways" map, the abstract notion of sustainability work crystallized into something tangible and navigable. As Nikhil described it, "Seeing the entire spectrum laid out visually turned an overwhelming agenda into a navigable roadmap, and it continues to guide how I evaluate courses, internships, and projects." This framework proved immediately practical when he secured an Executive Assistant Internship with Impactree Data Technologies in mid-2025, where he coordinated ESG data collection, prepared BRSR compliance reports, and supported sustainability reporting software testing. Nikil emphasized the Programme’s practical value, “It provides clarity, global perspectives, and practical steps to translate lofty sustainability goals into actionable career plans.”

Across the cohort, the PRME Mentorship Programme has offered students more than career guidance. It has nurtured empathy, leadership, and confidence while fostering connections that extend beyond borders. By providing structured support and opportunities for reflection, the Programme is helping the next generation of responsible leaders turn ambition into impact, one Mentorship session at a time.

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