Rome Business School has been recognized by the Positive Impact Rating (PIR) 2026, the leading international rating dedicated to the positive impact of business schools, among the institutions creating the greatest positive impact in Europe.
The recognition highlights Rome Business School’s ongoing commitment to social responsibility and positive change. Through social initiatives, community engagement, responsible leadership education, and partnerships with NGOs, companies, organizations, and institutions, the School continues to strengthen its impact-driven approach.
In the Positive Impact Rating 2026, Rome Business School achieved Level 4 and was selected as a case study in the 2026 PIR Report.
The Positive Impact Rating is the leading independent international rating that measures the positive impact of business schools. Unlike traditional rankings, it evaluates schools based on the direct perceptions of students and faculty rather than institutional claims.
This year, Rome Business School not only maintained its Level 4 position but also earned recognition as a case study in the PIR Report 2026 for its progress across the four pillars of the survey: Inspire, Educate, Engage, and Empower.
Students and faculty highlighted several key developments, including an increase in social impact initiatives, greater involvement of NGOs in student activities, and the integration of ethics and responsibility-focused content across Master’s programs.
Now in its seventh edition, the Positive Impact Rating 2026 involved 87 business schools from 32 countries and collected feedback from 19,789 students and 1,189 faculty members.
At the heart of Rome Business School’s mission is its purpose statement: Better Managers for a Better World. The School aims to educate future managers and professionals who become agents of positive change for themselves, their organizations, and society. This commitment translates into concrete actions and measurable impact.
Over the past year, Rome Business School has launched several initiatives designed to turn community engagement into meaningful social contribution.
Among them, participation in Race for the Cure brought together students, alumni, faculty, and staff to raise awareness, support prevention efforts, and contribute to breast cancer research.
During the holiday season, the second edition of Hot Chocolate for Hope transformed the campus into a space for fundraising and community support. The initiative supported organizations working in social inclusion and assistance, including Binario95 and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders).
This commitment will continue in the coming weeks with “A Morning to Donate,” an initiative organized together with AVIS. Open to students, alumni, faculty, and staff, the event promotes blood donation awareness and highlights the value of collective responsibility.
Positive impact is embedded across every Master’s program at Rome Business School through dedicated courses, practical initiatives, and experiential learning opportunities.
One example is Purpose in Action, a monthly program that helps students develop conscious, ethical, and sustainability-driven leadership aligned with leading international ESG frameworks.
This approach is reinforced through the Better Managers for a Better World module, which explores corporate social responsibility, business ethics, sustainability, and responsible long-term decision-making.
Students also engage with key topics such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), ESG principles, and the role organizations play in creating sustainable value.
In addition, the Global Trends Lab helps students understand the major transformations shaping today’s world. Topics include economic and geopolitical shifts, the energy transition, digital transformation, climate change, and emerging development models.
Rome Business School strives to be a place for dialogue, collaboration, innovation, and international exchange.
Through Company Presentations, Company Visits, and inspirational sessions organized with organizations such as FAO, Save the Children, WFP, Amnesty International, IFAD, and Greenpeace, students gain exposure to different approaches to sustainability, social impact, and organizational transformation.
This openness is also reflected in the School’s international community.
Rome Business School brings together more than 3,500 students per intake, 40,000 alumni, 1,400 corporate partners, 60 partner universities and business schools, 14 international bootcamps, and learning experiences across four continents.
The 2026 cohort includes 3,504 students representing more than 107 nationalities. Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, France, and India are among the most represented countries, while 37% of students come from outside the European Union.
Rome Business School also promotes its impact-oriented educational model internationally to encourage collaboration and continuous improvement among institutions.
In 2026, RBS faculty members and case studies were featured in seven international cities, including Dubai, Istanbul, Sofia, and Athens, engaging more than 50 universities and over 2,400 participants, including students, institutions, and stakeholders.
Diversity also plays a central role in the School’s culture and operations.
Rome Business School actively promotes gender diversity and inclusion. Women represent 68% of the School’s staff, while 59% of graduating students are women.
This commitment extends beyond the Positive Impact Rating 2026. In 2025, Rome Business School was also the only Italian business school included in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which assess universities based on their contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“Being recognized in the Positive Impact Rating 2026 and selected as a case study is particularly meaningful to us because this achievement reflects the direct perceptions of our students and faculty. It shows that our commitment to educating responsible, purpose-driven leaders who can create positive impact is truly experienced within our community.Social initiatives, collaboration with international organizations, and a strong focus on ethics, sustainability, and understanding major global transformations are not additional elements of our educational approach. They are an integral part of who we are.This is the vision behind our purpose, Better Managers for a Better World: to prepare professionals who can not only lead organizations successfully, but also contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable, and responsible future.” said Antonio Ragusa, Dean of Rome Business School.
