Press Release
Social impact research by HKBU School of Business honoured with inaugural AACSB Global Impact Awards
Monday, 6 July 2026
The School of Business at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has been honoured in the Research Impact category of the inaugural Global Impact Awards presented by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). As the first and only recipient of the Global Impact Award in Hong Kong, the School earned this prestigious recognition for its prosocial and responsible consumption research project dedicated to translating impactful research into societal benefits.
AACSB is the global standard-setting body for business education, strengthening the world’s business schools through accreditation, leadership, and transformative learning. AACSB’s accreditation is recognised worldwide and represents more than 1,000 accredited schools. The Global Impact Awards celebrates the innovation, impact and dedication of business schools and their leaders. Specifically, the Research Impact category award recognises research that creates real-world change through solving complex problems, informing policies, shaping industries, and improving lives. It honours business schools’ efforts to bring academic insights into the world through non-traditional pathways.
The award-winning research initiative of HKBU’s School of Business is themed “Prosocial and Responsible Consumption”. Professor Kimmy Chan Wa, Associate Dean (Research and Impact) of the School and Professor of the Department of Management, Marketing and Information Systems, pointed out that recognising urgent global challenges, such as unsustainable consumption, environmental instability, and widening social gaps, the initiative created educational programmes, innovative measurement tools and collaborative campaigns targeting students, educators, social enterprises, and corporations. By mobilising schools and engaging various community stakeholders, the project successfully promoted actionable change and fostered cross-sectoral partnerships.
Professor Zhang Han, Dean and Chair Professor of the School of Business at HKBU, said: “This accolade underscores our commitment to advancing responsible and prosocial consumption. It is a testament to the collective effort of HKBU students, faculty, and partners to transform impactful research into concrete societal benefits. It also reflects the School’s ongoing efforts to extend its reach in research, create benefits for society and shape the future of business education.”
Grounded in both micro- and macro-level research, the School’s “Prosocial and Responsible Consumption” initiative examined how specific environmental knowledge and “social reminiscence” can motivate individuals, especially the youth, to adopt responsible behaviours. Researchers at the School also developed robust social impact measurement frameworks and introduced new tools to more than 90% of Hong Kong’s social enterprises to monitor their social impact. Through wide-reaching campaigns such as TV programmes, thematic contests, and public engagement, participants reported significant reductions in non-essential consumption, increased responsible practices and enhanced community participation.
The initiative’s measurable impact spans the education, business, and policy sectors. More than 67 schools involving thousands of students participated in the related programmes. Social enterprises joining the programme also reported greater community impact and fundraising success, while successful ventures scaled up their operations with the help of research-led strategies. Ultimately, the initiative inspired lasting behavioral, organisational, and systemic change towards a more responsible and prosocial society.
The honorees of the inaugural Global Impact Awards included 27 individuals and institutions from 16 countries and regions. Awards were presented across six categories: Impactful Leadership, Teaching and Learning Excellence, Research Impact, Societal Impact, AACSB Accreditation Service, and AACSB Community Leadership. The award ceremony was held earlier at the AACSB’s International Conference and Meetings in Seattle, United States.
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