Perspectives by E4S

Guests: Carlos Cordon, Professor of Strategy and Supply Chain Management at IMD; Thomas Hohne Sparborth, Head of Sustainability Research at Lombard Odier Investment Managers.   In this final episode of our series on the circular economy, we explore the role of businesses in driving the shift from linear to circular models. Carlos Cordon discusses how companies can navigate the complex challenges of circularity.    In the second part, Thomas Hohne Sparborth sheds light on the financial sector's view of the circular economy. He addresses the investment opportunities and challenges in circular companies and examines whether this economic model can be profitable for investors.    If you want to learn more about this topic, we invite you to read: -       Reuse or recycle? Designing a business model for the circular economy [https://www.imd.org/ibyimd/sustainability/re-use-or-recycle-how-to-design-a-business-model-for-the-circular-economy/], by Carlos Cordon and Edwin Wellian, 2021. -       The Circular Business Revolution [https://www.imd.org/research-knowledge/books/the-circular-business-revolution/], by Julia Binder and Manuel Braun, FT Publishing, 2024.

Guests: Tiffany Abitbol, Assistant Professor at EPFL and Head of the Sustainable Materials Laboratory; Andrea Vezzini, Expert in Industrial Electronics at Bern University of Applied Sciences.   In this episode, we explore two Swiss initiatives paving the way for the circular economy.    Dr. Tiffany Abitbol shares her work on sustainable materials, including mycelium-based packaging, which leverages nature’s designs for environmental benefits.    We also hear from Professor Andrea Vezzini about the CircuBAT initiative, a project dedicated to creating a closed-loop system for lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles.    If you want to learn more about this topic, we invite you to read: -       “I am continually floored by the versatility of cellulose [applewebdata://B1E19FFC-9663-4F79-B905-BD1F752C4488/-%09https:/actu.epfl.ch/news/i-am-continually-floored-by-the-versatility-of-c-2]”, interview with Tiffany Abitbol.  -       CircuBat Project: https://circubat.ch [https://circubat.ch/]

Guests: Edoardo Chiarotti, Scientific Collaborator at the Enterprise for Society Centre (E4S) and the Faculty of Business and Economics of the University of Lausanne (HEC-UNIL); Dunia Brunner, Project Manager at the Competence Centre in Sustainability (CCD) of the University of Lausanne. In this episode, we explore the concept of the circular economy and why it’s essential in today's political and economic landscape.  Edoardo Chiarotti helps us demystify three myths about the cirucular economy, and offers insights into the state of the circular economy in the European Union.  We then dive into Switzerland's journey towards the circular economy with Dunia Brunner, who provides an overview of Switzerland's status in the effort to shift from the traditional take-make-waste model to a more sustainable, circular approach.  If you want to learn more about this topic, we invite you to read: -       Present and Future of the Circular Economy in Europe [https://e4s.center/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Present-and-future-of-cicular-economy-in-Europe_E4SWP2024-2.pdf], by Edoardo Chiarotti, Thomas Hohne-Sparborth, Felix Philipp, Shuyue Qiao, Boris Thurm, 2024. -       L’économie circulaire. Agir pour une Suisse plus durable [https://www.epflpress.org/produit/1472/9782889155606/l-economie-circulaire], by Dunia Brunner and Nils Moussu, Savoir Suisse, 2023.

Garen Markarian is a Professor of Accounting at the University of Lausanne. While he believes in the importance of sustainability, Professor Markarian is much more critical of the ESG framework. He argues for a bold stance: the end of ESG, as he sees it causing more harm than good.

Gaia Melloni is an Assistant Professor of Sustainability Accounting at the University of Lausanne. In this episode, we'll discuss greenwashing within ESG reports, and common techniques companies use to influence our perceptions. Professor Melloni will then break down what needs to be done to make ESG more than just a communication tool, and what the future holds for sustainability accounting.