Impact Fair 2025: Connecting talent where business meets purpose
Each year, ESCP Business School brings together mission-driven organisations and future changemakers at the annual Impact Fair – a career event dedicated to sustainability, social innovation, and purpose-led business. Held on the Berlin Campus in November 2025, this year’s edition welcomed over 230 students and 22 impact-driven companies, reaffirming the school’s commitment to fostering meaningful career pathways where business can serve both people and the planet.
“An increasing number of our students want to build careers in organisations whose values they share,” says Gorgi Krlev, Associate Dean of Sustainability at ESCP, who opened the Fair. “The Impact Fair creates a space where they can explore what purposeful work looks like in practice and connect their business expertise with pressing global challenges.”
A marketplace of ideas and opportunities
Throughout the day, companies from the fields of renewable energy, women’s health innovation, sustainable food systems, ESG consulting, mobility, circular economy solutions, and more met with students eager to deepen their understanding of the sustainability landscape. From established firms to emerging start-ups, employers engaged in honest conversations about what it takes to build responsible, resilient, and future-oriented organisations.Representatives from companies such as Capgemini, Henkel, Masterpiece for Good, Kregtech, Via, Econsense, Atmosfair, and others shared insights into how sustainability shapes their strategy, operations, and talent needs. Students had the opportunity to ask candid questions, explore internships and entry-level roles, and understand how they could directly contribute to positive impact across sectors.
Thought-provoking talks and panel discussions
A core element of the Impact Fair was its programme of talks, presentations, and panel discussions, offering students a deeper look into particular systemic changes currently transforming global industries.Key sessions included:
- Energising the Future – how start-ups are accelerating the energy transition
- The Great Food Shift – innovation shaping the future of what we eat
- Beyond Buzzwords – practical realities of implementing circular economy solutions
- Capgemini: Unlocking ESG Transparency in Procurement
- Henkel: Sustainability in Action – Henkel’s Hair Professional Journey
- Kregtech: Understanding the 40+ EU Sustainability Regulations Beyond CSRD and CSDDD
- Atmosfair: Carbon Offsetting – Beyond Greenwashing & Buzzwords
…and many more sessions hosted by NGOs, consultancies, and impact-driven start-ups.
These discussions connected theory with practice, helping students gain clarity on how their management or entrepreneurial skill set can accelerate sustainability transitions in real-world contexts.
What companies are looking for
Across conversations, a theme emerged: organisations are looking for graduates who combine passion for sustainability, critical thinking, and a proactive, solution-oriented mindset. Employers value candidates able to navigate interdisciplinary challenges, communicate clearly, and work collaboratively across cultures and functions.
Companies emphasised several qualities they seek in their future hires:
- Commitment to creating positive societal and environmental impact
- Curiosity and adaptability in a rapidly evolving field
- Analytical and problem-solving capabilities
- Entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to take initiative
Students attending the Fair demonstrated these attributes, engaging in thoughtful dialogue, challenging assumptions, and exploring how their studies can translate into meaningful career pathways.
Small choices, collective impact
A notable feature this year was the partnership with Impact Hero, who sponsored the planting of a tree for every company and student attending the Fair-up to the first 500 participants. This symbolic gesture highlighted the event’s broader message: small, individual actions can contribute to large-scale, collective impact.The day concluded with a vernissage and networking drinks, bringing together students, staff, companies, and speakers in a celebratory closing moment.
A shared vision for the future
As sustainability continues to shape global business priorities, the Impact Fair remains a cornerstone event for ESCP - bridging the gap between forward-looking employers and the emerging leaders poised to drive systemic transformation.
For students, it is a rare opportunity to witness the diversity of impact-oriented career pathways available today. For companies, it is a chance to engage with highly motivated talent prepared to turn sustainability challenges into actionable solutions.
Impact Fair 2025 once again proved that when purpose meets talent, new possibilities emerge-fuelled by curiosity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to a fairer, more sustainable future.
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