Successful business leaders have raised an impressive £150,000 to fund scholarships that will help people to follow in their footsteps.
Sainsbury Management Fellows (SMFs) raised the figure as part of the annual SMF Step Challenge fundraising campaign, which aims to support the next generation of engineering leaders.
The annual campaign, run by EIBF, aims to fund scholarships for high-potential engineers to pursue MBAs at some of the world’s top business schools. All donations from the challenge go directly towards these life-changing scholarships.
The initiative is powered by SMF alumni — trailblazing business leaders who have launched over 300 startups, created more than 20,000 jobs, and played a pivotal role in shaping the UK economy. These professionals are now giving back to the same programme that helped kick-start their careers.
David Falzani MBE, President of EIBF, said: “The SMF Step Challenge is more than just a fundraiser. It’s a statement of our collective intent to give back. We have all benefitted enormously from this opportunity and now it’s our chance to ensure the next generation of engineers can do the same.”
The SMF scholarship programme was originally funded by Lord Sainsbury of Turville’s Gatsby Charitable Foundation. Since 1987, it has supported more than 400 engineers in gaining MBAs from world-class institutions.
Supporters can still follow the campaign’s progress and contribute via the Step Challenge donation page.