Loughborough Business School recognised as ‘Transforming’ institution in latest Positive Impact Rating

-A graphic depicting a woman in a forest examining a tree.

Loughborough Business School has once again been recognised for its societal impact and commitment to sustainability, achieving a significant milestone in the seventh edition of the Positive Impact Rating (PIR). The School has advanced from Level 3 ‘Progressing’ to a Level 4 ‘Transforming’ institution, reflecting a strengthened focus on responsible management and positive change.

Loughborough is one of just 9 UK business schools ranked Level 4 or above featured in the PIR 2026, underlining its growing reputation for embedding sustainability and social impact within business education. The ranking recognises the School’s ‘Progress with Purpose’ ethos, which places responsibility and ethical leadership at the heart of its strategy.

A major factor in this improved rating has been a School-wide programme refresh for the 2025/26 academic year, currently being implemented across all courses. The refreshed curriculum integrates responsible management and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)-related content throughout. This ensures that students engage progressively with sustainability, ethics, and social impact across their entire learning journey.

Discussing this purpose-led curriculum refresh, Director of Student Experience Rachael Mabe said: “We have updated all our undergraduate programmes to incorporate modules which tackle critical modern business challenges such as sustainability, ethical business practice, and responsible management.

“These modules will help our students develop the critical skills and understanding to be effective, purpose-driven leaders, whatever they go on to do after graduation.”

The Positive Impact Rating is unique in that it is based on student feedback. Participants are invited to evaluate how effectively their institution addresses societal and environmental challenges, as well as how well it prepares students to become responsible leaders for the future.

The Loughborough Business School Responsibility Committee.
Loughborough Business School academics and the Student Responsibility Committee – (L-R) Rachael Mabe, Angel Aregbesola, Maddie Whitley, Yuvraj Jaipuria, Manh Dang, Mary Chai, Ananya Ganveer, and Petros Vourvachis.

Student participation has also been strengthened through the establishment of a new Student Responsibility Committee in 2025/26. The committee formalises student participation in governance, supporting the PIR process and acting as a key channel for feedback. It helps to raise sustainability priorities, contributes to decision-making through representation on School committees, and promotes dialogue on environmental and societal issues across the student community.

The School’s progress has also been recognised at an international level. Based on the results of the 2026 PIR survey, Loughborough Business School has been selected as one of a small group of institutions invited to contribute a case study to the PIR 2026 report. This invitation reflects both its significant advancement within the framework and its performance exceeding last year’s PIR average across all dimensions.

PRME Lead Petros Vourvachis said: “This recognition reflects the collective effort across the School to deliver on our ‘Progress with Purpose’ strategy. By aligning governance, curriculum innovation and student engagement, we are creating a more integrated and impactful learning environment. It reinforces our commitment to developing responsible, future-ready graduates.”

The Positive Impact Rating was established by a coalition of business school experts and international organisations, including WWF, Oxfam, and the UN Global Compact, and is supported by student organisations such as oikos, AIESEC, and Net Impact.

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PIR rating - Level 4 Transforming Business School.
Read the full PIR 2026 Report