IIM Bangalore joins Council on Business & Society (CoBS)

A global alliance for responsible leadership

IIM Bangalore joined the Council on Business & Society (CoBS) in April 2025, becoming the twelfth member of a global alliance of leading business and management schools.

CoBS brings together a select group of institutions and knowledge partners that share the common belief that business plays a central role in addressing urgent challenges that beset the world. Founded on the principles of academic excellence, collaboration and responsible leadership, its mission aligns closely with IIMB’s long-standing commitment to nurturing leaders who contribute meaningfully to enterprise as well as to society.

With IIMB’s entry, the network now spans 6 continents, 23 campuses in 16 countries, over 2,000 permanent faculty, 50,000 students, and half a million alumni.

Each school contributes to a common pool of projects, knowledge and learning resources at the disposal of instructors interested in including Responsible Leadership issues within their classes and programmes, as well as offering insights for practitioners and entrepreneurs to enhance their leadership, sustainability and CSR initiatives. 

As the only Indian institution in the alliance, the Institute’s participation focuses on areas such as entrepreneurship and social enterprise, sustainable business practices, responsible finance, diversity and inclusion, leadership and management. These take shape through research collaborations, publications, inter-school projects, CoBS events and more.

Initiated by Prof. Rishikesha T. Krishnan, Professor in-Charge, New Campus, IIMB, and Prof. Sourav Mukherji, Dean, Faculty, IIMB, the partnership marks a major step towards IIMB’s goal of internationalization. Through collective action, the IIMB-CoBS alliance seeks to disseminate ideas that enable change.

Faculty insights

CoBS creates an avenue for IIMB faculty to interact with and contribute to global thought leadership.

In a contribution to CoBS Insights, Prof. Sourav Mukherji, OB&HRM area, examines accelerating tensions between purpose and profitability in business.

In the article ‘Profit with Purpose: Innovations from the Global South’, he explores how Indian social enterprises balance financial sustainability with meaningful impact. takes a closer look at examples of how purpose is more than a precarious possibility for numerous for-profit Indian social enterprises that have leveraged innovative models to align financial sustainability with meaningful social impact.

Read the article here: https://cobsinsights.org/2025/03/18/profit-with-purpose-innovations-from-the-global-south/

Global learning opportunities for students

Through CoBS, IIMB students participate in international programmes that examine the evolving role of enterprise in the 21st century.

• The Future of Capitalism Project: Each year, 12 IIMB students are selected to join a global cohort of 400 for an intensive 11-session online course (January–April). The program thoroughly examines the evolving responsibilities of business leaders and the future of management education. Prof. Sourav Mukherji serves as a compere for one of the program's global sessions.
• CoBS Advanced International Certificate: An international CSR-ESG-Sustainability certificate open to master's and MBA students currently studying at one of the 12 CoBS member schools and carrying a passion for responsible business and positive social, environmental and financial impact.

Student Achievements

A team of PGPEM 2027 students, comprising Chithra Narayanan, Indhu Krishnan, Sneha Banagiri, Shruti Hasyagar, Subhash C and Neeraj Kumar Mishra, secured the Runner-Up position in the 2026 Business & Sustainability Simulation Competition, part of Module 1 of the CoBS Advanced International Certificate.

The competition featured 11 teams, including ESSEC Business School, Smith School of Business at Queen's University, São Paulo School of Business Administration (FGV-EAESP), Warwick Business School, and IIMB, and tested participants on strategic decision-making at the intersection of CSR, ESG and sustainability.

Global alumni meets

Beyond academic collaboration, the CoBS alliance invites access to a vibrant global network of alumni, faculty, and practitioners. As part of this community, IIMB alumni have engaged in international forums and collaborative platforms that advance responsible leadership worldwide.

Glimpses from a CoBS global alumni event hosted by Warwick Business School in London on 22 January 2026