On the 25th and 26th of July, the Social Impact Manager (SIM) consortium met in Athens to officially launch the project, generously funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ programme. In a display of collaboration, all 14 partners, some of whom joined virtually, came together to kick-start this innovative venture under the lead coordination of the University of the Peloponnese.
The SIM project aims to create a hybrid and multifaceted profile of a manager with different competences, all of which are functional to make a company grow in terms of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). The project emphasises the social impact dimension of a company, as it assumes that companies need communities and communities need companies. To develop this profile, a group of partners from the VET, education and business sectors will work together, with the help of Momentum (MMS) and EUCEN to promote and share the findings and results of the project.
Focused on the social impact dimension of companies, the SIM project is geared towards fostering growth, not just in financial terms, but also in terms of societal and environmental well-being. To achieve this ambitious goal, the project has strategically chosen to concentrate its efforts in five key countries: Austria, Greece, Croatia, Italy, and France. The SIM position will be carefully developed in each of these countries through the collaborative efforts of selected organisations with significant influence.
In each country, an educational provider (universities or VET providers) works together with a technical partner (i.e. business networks and platforms) in order to mix experiences and expertise. Following this idea, in Austria, Die Berater, a consulting company for education and training, will collaborate with the Plattform für berufsbezogene Erwachsenenbildung (PbEB, Platform for Vocational Adult Education), an association consisting of the leading private providers of education and training in the vocational and economic sector. In Greece, the University of the Peloponnese, KMOP Education and Innovation Hub, a centre for social action and innovation, and Syndesmos Viomichanion Ellados (SBE, Federation of Industries of Greece) will work together. In France, the University Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne will join forces with the Chambre Française de l’Économie Sociale et Solidaire, (ESS FRANCE, French Chamber of the Social and Solidarity Economy). While in Italy, Project School, a company that offers training and consultancy to individuals and organisations in the development of social impact projects will combine with the University of Milano-Bicocca (UNIMIB) and Manageritalia, the Italian National Federation of Managers, senior staff and executive professionals in the fields of commerce, transport, tourism and advanced tertiary. Finally, in Croatia, the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Rijeka (EFRI UNIRI) and Mreza Znanja (MZ, The Knowledge Network), a consulting company, will work together to release their potential.
During this inaugural meeting, the consortium discussed the project’s timeline and charted out the next steps to turn this vision into reality. Starting from July 2023, the SIM partners are embarking on a journey that will span nearly three years, culminating in March 2026, when the project is expected to complete its SIM education programme across five countries reaching 150 learners and 50 European companies.
The SIM project is not just an endeavour in business leadership; it’s a commitment to fostering responsible management that transcends borders and impacts communities on a global scale. Stay tuned as we continue to bring you updates on this project that has the potential to reshape the future of corporate social responsibility and responsible management.
