With a view to promoting sustainability and fostering growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the All India Management Association (AIMA) and the Wadhwani Foundation initiated a series of innovative programmes to empower professionals and business leaders with the competencies necessary to incorporate sustainability into corporate strategies and operational practices. These programs, launched on March 27, 2025, target individual professionals as well as SME leadership, equipping them with the necessary tools to address the challenges of sustainability in the fast-paced business world of today.

AIMA’s new range of Sustainability Management Programmes is aimed at delivering in-depth training in sustainability principles and practices. The anchor of these programs is the Certificate Programme in Sustainability Management, a foundational three-month program that exposes participants to seminal concepts like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), business sustainability, and climate change. This program seeks to enable professionals to grasp how to embed sustainable practices in business models successfully, giving a sound foundation for applying these principles to everyday business.

For individuals wanting a better grasp on sustainable business practice, AIMA also provides the Advanced Certificate Programme in Sustainability Management. Spanning six months, this course goes deeper into sustainable business practice, with impact assessments, outcome analysis, and strategic choice being the focus areas. Brought for the professionals who wish to generate long-term value by sustainability, this advanced program delivers the means to formulate and apply practices that serve the business as well as society at large. The courses give participants the knowledge and skills to tackle the complex challenges of balancing profitability with environmental and social responsibility.

In addition to all these certificate courses, AIMA is also launching a Professional Diploma in Sustainability Management. This 11-month diploma course is for future sustainability leaders who wish to develop a deep understanding of sustainability leadership. Candidates for this diploma course will be taught how to apply sustainable practices across different business functions, create innovation for sustainable development, and lead organizational change. This all-encompassing training will equip professionals to become leaders and drive sustainability initiatives in their organizations.

Whereas AIMA’s programmes are aimed at individual professional development, the Wadhwani Foundation has launched two initiatives aimed at SMEs. The 12-week Accelerate Programme is specifically designed for operational heads of SMEs and is geared towards delivering accelerated growth and operational excellence. Hands-on training, networking, and sustained support via the Foundation’s GenieAI technology platform means that participants receive everything they need to keep pushing sustainable growth after finishing the course. The hands-on nature of the programme offers actionable tools and techniques that can be implemented straight away to increase the operating efficiency of SMEs, enabling them to grow sustainably in a competitive market environment.

The second one is the SME Academy, which is a 10-week, no-cost programme for SME founders and leadership teams, especially the manufacturing ones. This program offers sessions and workshop training led by experts that cover important areas including revenue growth, productivity, and high-performance team building. Members of the SME Academy will have access to key insights into the fundamentals of business success, including optimizing operations and adopting sustainable strategies that lead to long-term prosperity. Asides from hands-on training, the program provides an interactive platform where SME leaders have the opportunity to share ideas, address challenges, and establish a network of professional peers dedicated to sustainable business management.

Both of these programs are intended to assist SMEs in their pursuit of development and success in a competitive, sustainability-focused economy. Upon successful completion of the SME Academy, the participants will be jointly certified by the Wadhwani Foundation and AIMA, which will be a highly valued credential for business leaders wishing to establish their proficiency in sustainability and business management.

Through the provision of these programmes, AIMA and the Wadhwani Foundation are offering an integrated support mechanism for individual professionals as well as SMEs. These programmes illustrate an increasing recognition of the requirement for companies to incorporate sustainability as a core area of operation if they are to succeed in the long term. As businesses become increasingly pressured by consumers, investors, and policymakers to become sustainable, these programmes provide the badly needed resources and know-how for them to maneuver the intricate arena of corporate sustainability.

The AIMA-Wadhwani partnership is a great leap towards empowering professionals and SMEs with the information and skills they require to develop sustainable and profitable business models. With sustainability now a priority on business agendas around the world, these programmes will prepare the next generation of leaders to lead change not just within their companies but across the business landscape. As the globe increasingly turns towards more sustainable methods, these programmes offer a vital foundation for those who wish to lead the charge in creating a sustainable future for businesses of all sizes.