Perspectives on... Diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI) BGA business schools in Latin America, Africa, Europe and Central Asia share their views on widening access to management education, enhancing gender equality and ensuring students and staff from diverse backgrounds are fully represented. Compiled by Tim Banerjee Dhoul
Do business schools need to demonstrate a commitment to DEI? Beatrice Avolio Alecchi, general director, Centrum PUCP, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) “Yes, business schools must demonstrate a clear, coherent and visible commitment to DEI. Achieving this requires deliberately fostering values such as respect, empathy and equity, which recognise and celebrate individual differences. Alongside these, inclusion, justice and collaboration are key to enabling equitable participation. Finally, tolerance, responsibility and openness to change are essential to underpin a non‑discriminatory learning environment.” Jacob Östberg, professor of marketing, Stockholm Business School, Stockholm University, Sweden “Yes they do and all the more so today, when DEI initiatives are under attack in places where they were once claimed as a core value. Standing up for these
values is of paramount importance to ensure they are passed on to the next generation and to foster a healthy climate in the workplace.” Ana Freire, vice-dean of social impact and academic innovation, UPF Barcelona School of Management, Spain “Business schools absolutely need to demonstrate a commitment to DEI. It is not an add-on for us; DEI is a central pillar that shapes how we understand and practice management education.” Dilbar Gimranova, dean, School of Economics and Management, Narxoz University (SEM Narxoz), Kazakhstan “Yes. By embracing diversity, business schools not only enhance the learning experience but also equip students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in an increasingly global and diverse workforce. Our university’s mission to cultivate an inclusive learning environment, for example, ensures graduates have been
trained to understand intercultural and interpersonal differences and to overcome the disagreements or tensions that may arise from them.” Jon Foster-Pedley, dean and director, Henley Business School Africa, South Africa “As a business school operating in a South African context with its history of racial exclusion, the imperative to foster DEI has been at the core of what we do. Only about seven per cent of those who start school in South Africa go on to get degrees, compared to 55 per cent in Finland and 50 per cent in the UK, according to OECD figures. Most people end up either unemployed or doing jobs without the training they need, working at jobs above their qualification level. “We have worked hard to make our education accessible, relevant and vital to all South Africans and I believe that what we have learned on this journey can make a valuable contribution to business schools in other contexts too.”
24 Business Impact • ISSUE 3 • 2025
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