The Week That Redefined My Understanding of Business at ISB

When it was time to choose our Block Week 1 elective, I was, like most of my classmates, juggling far too much. I called a senior for advice and her answer was instant. She told me to take Impact Imperative because it was one of the best courses at ISB. I placed my bid and forgot about it until the first day of class.

The professor opened with a single question: Why impact?

With a background in marketing and a few years in the public ecosystem, I found myself wondering whether my work even qualified. I stayed quiet and listened as the conversation grew. What followed across ten sessions was a complete reorientation of how impact sits at the heart of business value, not as an accessory but as a core driver.

A Classroom That Provokes More Than It Teaches

The early moments set the tone. The professor asked how we define the poor. Answers came from every direction, ranging from data to experience to personal convictions. Then came his own definition, simple yet striking, and the room shifted. It was clear we were learning from someone who had lived this work, and that someone was Mr Rathish Balakrishnan, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Sattva Consulting.

Each session began with a small question that opened into a deep inquiry. We examined how businesses evolve when they internalise responsibility and stewardship. We revisited CSR, not as philanthropy but as strategic clarity. Through cases from ITC to GE Healthcare, we challenged ourselves to understand what it means to do the right things right.

Learning to See Through Two Lenses at Once

Double materiality became the anchor idea of the course. We looked at how society and the environment shape business success and how business decisions shape society in return. With this lens, impact stops being an extra function and becomes the frame through which risk, resilience and growth are understood.

We also explored how impact drives competitive advantage. Aarong in Bangladesh became a powerful example of how purpose can lead innovation, shape business models and build trust. In a world where authenticity travels faster than advertising, impact has become a quiet but powerful differentiator.

The final project forced us to balance commercial opportunity with social value. Each team examined a different sector and identified realistic opportunities where the two could coexist. It was both grounding and ambitious, the kind of exercise that lingers long after class ends.

The Shift That Stays

By the end of the week, I realised the course was not about adding impact to business thinking but redefining business itself. Profit without purpose is fragile. Purpose without profitability is unsustainable. When the two intersect, they create strength.

As the professor later reflected, teaching this course was not a performance but a conversation. That is exactly how it felt. Each discussion asked us to be alert, honest and willing to rethink our assumptions.

What Impact Leaves Behind

I walked into the class unsure whether my work so far belonged in this space. I walked out understanding that the question was misplaced. The real question is: if impact shapes resilience, trust and long-term value, how can business leaders afford to overlook it?

For those of us shaping the next generation of organisations, the shift is no longer optional. It is essential. And that is the real impact imperative.

Synopsis:

Radhika Kohli reflects on her Block Week experience with Impact Imperative, a course that shifted her understanding of how business and impact intersect. Through rigorous discussions, real-world cases, and sector projects, she discovered that impact is not an ethical add-on but a driver of resilience, innovation, and long-term value for any serious business.