Esade launches Chair in Social Impact to drive research, executive education and dialogue about generating, measuring and funding social impact
The Esade Center for Social Impact has created the Esade Chair in Social Impact, a pioneering initiative backed by Robert Bosch Stiftung, the BBK Banking Foundation, Bertelsmann Stiftung and Impact Bridge to increase the pace at which social impact is incorporated into academic research, business strategy, investment practices and the advancement of talent.
This new chair, directed by the Professor and Director of the Esade Center for Social Impact, Lisa Hehenberger, will constitute an international benchmark that combines academic excellence with hands-on experience to generate tangible solutions to major social challenges. “We’re building an academic hub for the development of pioneering knowledge that will enable organizations to materialize scalable, measurable, fundable solutions for the most pressing social challenges of our time,” said Professor Hehenberger.
Nora Sarasola, Director of Obra Social at BBK Banking Foundation, stated that “measuring impact is not a trend, but a strategic necessity to transform the territory. This collaboration with Esade allows us to advance in professionalization, shared knowledge, and the training of conscious, committed, and competent leaders. The creation of this initiative consolidates a shared trajectory and opens new avenues for research and knowledge transfer. Social impact and sustainable development must be priorities, promoting creativity, innovation, and networking among public and private actors to generate solutions to the great challenges of our time”.
According to Atje Drexler, Senior Vice President, Futures and Networks at Robert Bosch Stiftung, “At Robert Bosch Stiftung, we believe that addressing today’s complex social challenges requires bold collaboration between academia, civil society, and business. We are proud to support the Esade Chair in Social Impact, recognizing its pivotal role in advancing our collective understanding and practice of impact. This partnership deeply aligns with our commitment to foster robust research, innovative education, and the development of future leaders who drive meaningful social change”.
“We are convinced that strengthening the non-profit sector’s ability to generate social impact is essential for addressing today’s societal challenges. That’s why Bertelsmann Stiftung supports this research that empowers organizations and leaders across the non-profit landscape to drive measurable systemic change.”, said Wilfried Uhr, Member of the Executive Board of Bertelsmann Stiftung.
Arturo Benito, CEO of Impact Bridge, states that “driving this chair together with Esade goes far beyond an academic collaboration. It is an opportunity to help train future leaders in impact investing — those who will make possible the transformation our society needs. Together with Esade and building on our academic experience in the field, we want to do our part to ensure that these advances are not only possible, but also scalable, measurable, and replicable worldwide.”
The creation of the Esade Chair in Social Impact confirms Esade’s determination to put social impact at the heart of management training and contribute to systemic change. By combining applied and academic research, specialized executive training and a framework based on the theory of change, this new Chair aspires to create relevant knowledge capable of making an impact on the companies, public policies and investments seeking to achieve a more inclusive, sustainable future.
This venture will focus on key areas such as impact measurement and management, impact investment, gender lens investing, social entrepreneurship and philanthropy focused on systemic change. The first research project will address the challenges inherent in evaluating the funding of systemic change, an approach used increasingly by foundations and international investors but which is still hard to calculate with traditional methodologies.
In addition to producing robust academic knowledge, the Chair seeks to equip current and future leaders with practical skills enabling them to bring about meaningful, measurable change. To this end, the Chair will deliver specialized training programs featuring a combination of theory and practice and findings from research projects aimed at training participants to design more effective, responsible strategies for generating real, measurable change in their organizations.
That meaningful impact and sense of purpose runs through Esade’s DNA, an institution rooted in the Society of Jesus’ values. This academic and educational tradition translates into a way of researching, teaching, and learning from a humanistic perspective oriented toward justice and the common good. This Chair won't be only about generating ideas, but about doing—testing, connecting, and scaling efforts that can help communities.
Collaborative ecosystem
Esade’s new Chair in Social Impact will have an international advisory committee consisting of leading experts and representatives from the founding partners – Robert Bosch Stiftung, the BBK Foundation, Impact Bridge and Bertelsmann Stiftung – which will provide a roadmap for research and training programs to ensure that they address the most important challenges of social impact around the globe.
Each year, the Chair will hold a flagship international conference where global leaders from the academic, business and social worlds will share knowledge, anticipate trends and foster collaboration between different actors. These conferences will be a platform for sharing experiences, pinpointing good practices and creating networks to bolster social impact on a global scale. Thus, through its governance and strategic alliances, the Chair seeks to forge links between academic excellence and practical experience, and cultivate a collaborative ecosystem to drive social innovation, sustainability and effective impact measurement.
