The Purpose Academy: the first Advanced Training program promoted by Nativa Campus and the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa

The growing shift toward business models that integrate profit with the pursuit of the common good is redefining the Italian entrepreneurial landscape. In this context, there is an increasing need to train managerial figures capable of guiding this transformation by defining and enhancing their own Purpose (the ultimate aim or reason for an organization’s existence) as a distinctive strategic element for creating shared value.
With this vision, NATIVA CAMPUS—the advanced training school of NATIVA (the first Benefit Corporation in Europe and B Corp in Italy)—and the Purpose Lab group of the Institute of Management at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, a leading university in education and research, are joining forces to launch the Purpose Academy, an Advanced Training Program focused on Purpose as a driver of innovation and organizational regeneration.

The Program is aimed at graduates holding a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, or equivalent qualification in any discipline, who wish to gain knowledge about the management of purpose-driven organizations, particularly for-profit enterprises. The Program is especially designed for:
• Managers involved in strategic business transition processes and organizational identity transformation;
• Professionals working in CSR, HR, communication, or innovation;
• Entrepreneurs and consultants who want to develop projects oriented toward impact and the common good;
• Graduates aspiring to specialize in purpose-driven organizational management.

The deadline to apply for the Purpose Academy is January 12, 2026. Further information about the call for applications is available at the following address: https://www.santannapisa.it/it/alta-formazione/purpose-academy

Purpose-driven Management: from intention to business strategy

At the heart of the Purpose Academy lies Purpose-driven Management, the discipline aimed at transforming an organization’s purpose into concrete and measurable results, aligned with new economic–organizational models—such as Benefit Corporations and hybrid organizations—that contribute to building a WellBeing Economy.

The Purpose Academy offers a 50-hour program, structured into twelve modules, with in-person classes held between Pisa and Rome and a strongly interdisciplinary approach that combines the scientific rigor of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies with NATIVA’s pioneering experience in guiding companies toward regenerative models and in the field of Benefit Corporations.

Key elements of the program include:

Purpose as a strategy for evolution:
The course focuses on the evolution of business models, training managers capable of using purpose as a guiding principle for designing strategies that reconcile economic performance with measurable positive impact (social, cultural, and environmental).

Immersive purpose-driven experience:
In-person teaching in Pisa and Rome - enriched by networking, mentoring, and direct interaction with pioneering companies in Purpose-driven Management - ensures a comprehensive learning experience and the opportunity to build a true community of Purpose practitioners.

Practical skills:
By the end of the program, participants will be able to apply tools and methodologies for impact assessment and organizational change management, turning corporate purpose into a strategic lever for competitiveness, staff alignment, and contribution to the common good.

The educational objectives are designed to develop leadership capable of integrating Purpose into organizational strategy and include:

• In-depth knowledge of the specific features of purpose-driven organizations, such as Benefit Corporations and hybrid organizations, and of regenerative business model innovation from a purpose-driven perspective;

• Understanding and applying tools and methodologies for assessing social impact, using real business cases to show how purpose translates into measurable outcomes;

• Developing a managerial approach that fully values an organization’s people, aligning personal purpose with corporate purpose as a key lever for implementing strategies that create shared value;

• Integrating financial and impact-related aspects into decision-making processes, aligning investments and financial choices with the long-term goal of creating shared value.

Andrea Piccaluga, Scientific Director of the Purpose Academy and Professor of Innovation at the Institute of Management of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, emphasizes:
"For years we have studied and worked with remarkable companies with a strong social orientation. Now is the time to give back the experiences accumulated together with them and share them with people interested in making our economy more inclusive, fair, and sustainable."

Lorenzo Fioramonti, Academic Director of NATIVA CAMPUS and former Minister of Education and University, adds:
"Purpose is not an optional element, but the heart of future competitiveness. The collaboration with the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies allows us to elevate training on these issues, preparing managers capable of deeply managing the cultural and strategic transformation required to create shared value."

The Purpose Academy thus positions itself as a catalyst for responsible innovation, offering training that meets the growing need for professionals capable of guiding the transition toward a regenerative economy.