Date & Time
Thursday, October 15, 14:00–18:00
Location
ESMT Berlin
Schlossplatz 1, 10178 Berlin, Germany
Registration Fees
- Non‑Member: $140
- SMS Member: $120
- SMS Student Member: $100
Event Overview
Corporate purpose is entering a new phase.
Over the past two decades, organizations across industries have embraced corporate purpose as a strategic concept—one that promises to align long-term value creation with societal expectations. Purpose statements and sustainability agendas have expanded, while ambitious leadership initiatives positioned purpose as a foundation for strategic decision-making.
Today, that consensus is being tested.
A growing backlash against pro-social initiatives—particularly in increasingly polarized stakeholder environments—has placed companies under heightened scrutiny. In response, some organizations are revisiting or quietly reframing their purpose commitments, and in some cases, scaling back strategic ambition. At the same time, earlier confusion between purpose, CSR, and ESG is beginning to fade. Corporate purpose is being redefined in more pragmatic terms: product-oriented, innovation-focused, and even sovereignty-centered—moving beyond the aspirational messaging that has often dominated corporate communications.
Meanwhile, the broader operating environment continues to shift rapidly. Geopolitical fragmentation, diverging regulatory regimes, technological disruption, and sustained economic uncertainty are forcing companies to reassess whether—and how—purpose can meaningfully guide strategic priorities.
Executives find themselves at a crossroads. Is corporate purpose a compass—or a distraction? Does it help navigate tensions, or create new ones?
Leaders are grappling with questions such as:
- What defines a clear and consistent strategic direction under uncertainty—and when does purpose enable or constrain decision-making?
- How can organizations maintain credibility with stakeholders whose expectations increasingly diverge?
- What governance structures and operating models allow purpose to effectively guide strategic choices?
- How should firms allocate resources and evaluate investments when financial pressures intensify?
Despite the prominence of these questions, conversations around corporate purpose often remain abstract and culturally contested. Leaders rarely have the opportunity to engage in candid, implementation-focused discussions with peers and experts.
Presented by the SMS Board’s Practitioner Strategy Committee, this session is part of the Strategy Imagination Forum (SIF)—a series designed to bring together senior practitioners and leading scholars in highly interactive, small-group settings to explore today’s most pressing strategic challenges.
In this SIF session, participants will engage directly with the lived realities of implementing corporate purpose. Through curated discussions, we aim to bridge practice and research—creating a space where real-world experience informs scholarship, and research sharpens managerial thinking.
Agenda
Before the Event
Participating practitioners will be invited to submit a core challenge related to corporate purpose for discussion during the forum.
13:30–14:00 — Arrival and Coffee
14:00–14:15 — Opening Session
Introduction to the strategic debate on corporate purpose and framing of breakout discussions.
14:15–16:15 — Practitioner‑Centered Breakout Discussions
Two 45‑minute sessions with a 30‑minute break.
Participants engage in curated small groups of business leaders, scholars, and an SMS representative.
Illustrative themes include:
- Purpose in a fragmented geopolitical environment
- Purpose and new business creation
- Embedding purpose in operating models
- Managing stakeholder expectations
- Purpose and strategic resilience
16:15–17:15 — Synthesis and Agenda Setting
Plenary discussion synthesizing insights across three dimensions:
- What practitioners learned from engaging with research
- What scholars learned from engaging with practice
- Actionable knowledge and future research opportunities
Speakers and Participants
Senior leaders from multinational organizations and leading scholars in strategy, governance, organization, and entrepreneurship
Moderators
Albena Björck (ZHAW Zürich), Vittorio Cerulli (University of St. Gallen & Purpose House), Johanna Envall Pregmark (Chalmers School of Entrepreneurship)
SMS Representative
Rodolphe Durand, Professor, HEC Paris; SMS Board Member
Hotel Recommendations
ARCOTEL John F Berlin (~8 min walk from ESMT) A sleek 4-star hotel on the Werderscher Markt overlooking the Spree, with a professional atmosphere well suited to a business event crowd. Named after JFK, with a distinctive design aesthetic throughout.
InterContinental Berlin (~15 min by taxi or 20 min by Bus from ESMT) The SMS conference venue itself, located near the Tiergarten on Budapester Strasse. The natural base for attendees combining the SMS conference with our event.
Capri by Fraser Berlin (~7 min walk from ESMT) A modern aparthotel right in the heart of Mitte, popular with business travellers for its spacious rooms with kitchenettes and excellent transit connections. Great value for multi-night stays.