Sustainability is on the EU’s agenda in an unprecedented way, while true progress is still hampered through siloing of policy areas, path-dependent economic efficiency thinking, reductionist approaches to sustainability, and the prevailing influence of vested interests.
The dominant approach of regulating business for sustainability remains that of disclosure and reporting, in the hope that more information will change financial markets as well as business in the real economy. The still limited success of the EU’s ambitious Sustainable Corporate Governance initiative, with the uncertain fate of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, is a case in point. Regulating to mitigate financial risks of climate change seems to be easier than to regulate for the fundamental transformation towards business that contributes to achieving social justice while mitigating pressures on planetary boundaries.
The Circular Economy initiative of the EU is ambitious with its Sustainable Products Policy, and yet falls far short of what is necessary. A core criticism is that the circular economy initiatives risk promoting only efficiency in resource use, which may then very well end up with a more efficient over-production and over-consumption. The EU’s circular economy initiative focuses on environmental issues, leaving aside the social justice issues that are crucial for corporate sustainability and for the broader goal of sustainability.
Can we find new ways forward to integrating a research-based concept of sustainability into the governance of business by breaking down policy silos? This seminar explores the potential in deeper research interactions between circular economy and corporate sustainability. The seminar celebrates the contribution of Dr. Eléonore Maitre-Ekern to Sustainability Law, on the last day of her position as postdoctoral scholar in the research group and reaffirm our joint desire to continue working together.
Programme (all times are Central European Time)
14.00-14.15 Welcome by Beate Sjåfjell
14.15-14.45 Presentation of a work-in-progress paper by Eléonore Maitre-Ekern and Beate Sjåfjell on circular economy and corporate sustainability
14.45-15.00 Prepared comment by David Monciardini
15.00-15.30 Questions and discussion
15.30-15.45 Coffee and tea break
15.45-16.45 Brainstorming, identifying new research questions and discussing possible avenues for future research collaboration
16.45-17.00 Closing of the seminar by Eléonore Maitre-Ekern
17.30 – dinner for invited participants
Zoom
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https://uio.zoom.us/j/62114159004?pwd=SkRnMWgrTTBRVzd2TVhmVDFBQkkvZz09
Meeting ID: 621 1415 9004
Passcode: 733919