Today, our bite into a snack, a seemingly innocent act, holds far-reaching consequences. With over 40% of the global food industry's revenue stemming from ultra-processed foods (UPFs), our love for convenience is propelling an industry that contributes to a third of global emissions, strains our planetary resources and has questionable impacts on population health. However, the billion-dollar question remains: can this ultra-processed food industry, so entwined with our daily lives, transition towards sustainable development?
ESG, a tool used to quantify sustainability, is exposed to criticism and allegations of greenwashing. In this RESKILL Masterclass session, Hélène Löning, HEC Paris Associate Professor of Accounting , argues that, despite its struggles and flaws, ESG can help make companies more accountable towards all stakeholders and society, not just investors. She shares with viewers detailed insights into ESG metrics. The Masterclass was recorded on June 29, 2023, and is available on YouTube here. You can also find all the questions and comments in the LinkedIn live.
Livestock contributes to nearly 15% of GHG emissions, which 60% are due to enteric fermentation, a natural digestive process that releases methane through burps. Methane has a warming potential 28 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year period. To limit global warming to 1.5°C, the IPCC shows that deep cuts in methane emissions are needed. Recently, a miracle solution has been claimed: feeding cows with a seaweed can cut their methane emissions significantly. But let’s not forget holistic implications of such production for the environment and its feasibility on a large scale. In this article, Clarisse Pierre cautions about the of use of seaweed, based on her MSc "Sustainability and Social Innovation" thesis supervised by Professor Sam Aflaki.
In a world that is currently confronting a climatic crisis caused in part by overconsumption and garment manufacture, it is critical to determine which industry actors can effectively be drivers of the move to a more sustainable lifestyle. Based on a field study in the Portuguese textile and clothing industry, Monica Santos Silva, a SASI Master student supervised by Operations Management Professor Sam Aflaki, explains the mechanisms that make family businesses more competitive and sustainable.
Camille Putois is the CEO of Business for Inclusive Growth (B4IG), a coalition of more than 40 global businesses, representing 4.4 million employees and a combined revenue of over 1 trillion USD. She discusses how this coalition strives for more inclusive practices and navigates the pros and cons of the different methods to measure progress on this crucial topic. For this, she worked with Leandro Nardi and Marieke Huysentruyt, researchers at the Inclusive Economy Center at HEC Paris.
How can private companies and public bodies reorganize their short- and long-term strategies in the current economic context? For years, Professor Bertrand Quélin has been researching the collaboration between private firms, public authorities and civil society to offer solutions aimed at building resilience in cities and designed to tackle the challenges of climate change.
Climate change and agricultural soils degradation are two of the leading environmental challenges the world currently faces. A universally agreed-upon solution is developing more circular patterns in supply chains to minimize the negative ecological impact of human activities potentially. In that regard, waste management can play a significant part in countries' sustainability strategies.
Most international development agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have some experience planning and evaluating projects using the Logical Framework matrix. Professors of Accounting Daniel Martinez (HEC Paris) and David Cooper (University of Alberta) traced the managerial traditions that informed this visual instrument and the implications this has for international development.
What we are experiencing is similar to an earthquake of strong magnitude. Everyone agrees that there will be a before and after Covid-19. Whilst this earthquake assails us all, we do have control of the choices and decisions to be made. These will determine how crippled or strengthened we will be by the end... As always in times of crisis there are losers and winners, the cards are redealt.
Today's coronavirus crisis has driven down our economy. Such a pause has a negative impact on world trade and economic growth; its social implications (loss of income and employment, increased inequality…) will have explosive consequences. In this context, there are many calls for a model change: let's not just press the "pause" button to restart the existing model, let's use this opportunity to reinvent it!