SVKM’s NMIMS signs an agreement with Societe Generale to foster research on Sustainable Development Goals and Impact-based financing models
Mumbai: SVKM’s NMIMS, one of India’s leading education institutions with a 40-year legacy of academic excellence, has signed an agreement with Societe Generale, a leading European banking and financial services company, to jointly conduct research in the area of impact-based finance solutions. As a part of PhD Research Sponsorship program, scholars from NMIMS’ School of Business Management (SBM) will receive support from Societe Generale to research on developing blended finance as a tool to support various social enterprises. Societe Generale will bring its expertise in delivering sustainable solutions.
The objectives of this industry-academia collaboration will be to study the value chains providing access to healthcare, water, energy, and professional training.
After a rigorous selection process, Swati Sisodia from SBM, NMIMS has been selected as the first PhD scholar to work on the research project with Societe Generale. The project will focus on long-term revenue-generating solutions to help the country achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking on the collaboration, Dr Ramesh Bhat, Vice Chancellor, SVKM’s NMIMS, said, “The ongoing pandemic has reiterated the viability and importance of environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda for corporates. By including projects in corporate social responsibility and sustainable development in our course curriculum since inception, NMIMS is ensuring focus on sustainability and social responsibility. Through the partnership with Societe Generale, we have taken a step to further strengthen our PhD program and offer our scholars an opportunity to make a distinctive contribution to society. We will continue to meet society’s toughest challenges, strengthening links between industry and academics, and using our research strength to make a difference.”
Toby Lawson, Chief Executive and Chief Country Officer, Societe Generale India further added, “We are honoured to be associated with one of the top-ranked academic institutions to design impact-based financial solutions as the economy recovers from the ongoing pandemic. Together we will explore how blended finance can help support various social enterprises and thus be used to make a bigger positive impact. Societe Generale is recognised for its ability to deliver sustainable solutions to its clients, whether corporates or financial institutions, and we’re delighted to partner with NMIMS, a leading university, to build together the solutions of tomorrow.”
For over a decade, NMIMS School of Business Management (SBM) has been offering an internationally recognised doctoral program with specialisation in the areas such as finance, strategy, economics, general business environment and marketing. Through partnerships with industry leaders such as Societe Generale, the scope of research is being expanded to include ESG, sustainable finance and climate change to raise sensitised managers who can run sustainable organisations of the future.