Business Programs Recognized with Positive Impact Rating

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The School of Management at the University of San Francisco has been recognized for its societal impact and commitment to sustainability as part of the sixth edition of the Positive Impact Rating (PIR) for business schools titled “Rethinking Society Impact: A Roadmap for Business Schools to Implement Positive Impact.”

The School of Management, one of the 86 business schools from 30 countries participating in this year’s edition, achieved PIR’s Level 3 rating, making it a “Progressing” institution within the PIR framework.

The PIR is a rating created by students, for students to capture how participants perceive their schools’ positive impact on the world. Participants evaluated how the school addresses societal and sustainability challenges and how well it prepares its students to become responsible leaders. 
The data collection at the School of Management was organized and led by students Roman Szydlik, Vriti Monga, and Srilekha Raman. More than 100 students across the undergraduate and graduate programs took part in the PIR survey.

By participating in PIR 2025, the School of Management demonstrates its commitment to transparency and to listening to the voice of its key stakeholders. 

“We are proud to be recognized by the Positive Impact Rating, especially because it reflects our students’ perspectives,” said Dean Otgo Erhemjamts. “Their engagement and commitment to building a more sustainable, equitable world are what drive our mission forward. This recognition affirms our ongoing efforts to ensure that every student graduates ready to lead with purpose and positive impact.”

The PIR uses 20 questions grouped into seven dimensions across three overarching areas: Energizing, Educating, and Engaging. These results place schools into one of five levels, three of which are published: Level 3 (Progressing), Level 4 (Transforming), and Level 5 (Pioneering).

Thomas Dyllick, PIR founder and Supervisory Board member, stated, “While future students now have an alternative source to select their business school, schools refer to the PIR primarily to measure and communicate their transformational progress. The voice of the student has become a true source of value.”

The PIR was initiated by a coalition of business school experts and international NGOs such as WWF, Oxfam, and UN Global Compact, and is supported by student organizations including oikos, AIESEC, and Net Impact. It is also backed by VIVA Idea (Costa Rica), the Institute for Business Sustainability Foundation, and FehrAdvice (Switzerland).

New in 2025, PIR now also offers additional reporting modules to support schools in their PRME, AACSB, and EQUIS accreditation processes, enabling them to use PIR data to report on Ethics, Responsibility, and Sustainability (ERS) requirements with stakeholder-derived evidence.