With the publication of Global Voice magazine #27, Prof. Adrian Zicari, ESSEC Business School, Academic Director of the Council on Business & Society, steps back from the heat of the summer months to take a measured and hopeful look at how many are taking action to bring positive change to business, society, and planet.
As the Northern Hemisphere gradually leaves the warm embrace of an unusually hot summer (and the Southern Hemisphere enters spring), the whole world remains in heat up mode. We do not need to remind the reader again of current global problems. To our dismay, the list of challenges for our time is a long one. However, inveterate optimists that we are, we shall instead propose a refreshing dive into some reasons for hope.
Global Voice: While the heat is on, there is a breeze of hope
This summer has been a reminder of the need for climate action. Heatwaves have reached regions unaccustomed to such extremes, while wildfires have swept through forests in many countries. The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it is happening now, before our very eyes. At the same time, we see the determination of nations, communities, and individuals to step up with concrete actions. At an unprecedented scale, many large scale initiatives, both coming from public policy and from private organisations, all over the world, are attempting to address climate change. The heat may be on, but so is human willingness to cool the planet.
As students come back to their classrooms, lecture halls, and libraries, there is a renewed buzz of excitement and curiosity. Every academic year represents the hope of exploring, searching, and hopefully, finding new ways of addressing global challenges. Academy is at the forefront of the efforts to address the grand issues of our time, including biodiversity, climate change, and poverty. Every generation, standing on the shoulder of giants, has always found transformative ideas, discoveries, and inventions for improving our world. In this sense, the CoBS contributes to this effort by disseminating, and making more accessible, the fabulous research ongoing in our member schools.
A key and global role for businesses
Furthermore, in this world full of intricacies and challenges, business leaders can make a difference. We all know that great business leaders can (and have) to bring out the best for their companies, their stakeholders, and society as large. In this sense, our partner schools also contribute to society, by educating the next generation of competent and conscious professional managers, while the CoBS accompanies those efforts by creating pedagogical materials and exploring teaching innovations.
Granted, the heat is on, and it is not only about rising temperatures. True, the problems are there, and they are possibly mounting. But it is precisely in such times when the value of an alliance for the common good becomes more evident.
Welcome to the 27th edition of Global Voice Magazine.
Prof. Adrian Zicari, ESSEC Business School and Academic Director of the Council on Business & Society
Useful links:
- Link up on LinkedIn with Prof. Adrian Zicari
- Download Global Voice magazine #27 from the CoBS website downloads page
- Read a related article: Sustainability: Challenges and incentives
- Discover the schools, initiatives and learning content of the Council on Business & Society.
Learn more about the Council on Business & Society
The Council on Business & Society (The CoBS), visionary in its conception and purpose, was created in 2011, and is dedicated to promoting responsible leadership and tackling issues at the crossroads of business and society including sustainability, diversity, ethical leadership and the place responsible business has to play in contributing to the common good.
Member schools are all “Triple Crown” accredited AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA and leaders in their respective countries.
- ESSEC Business School, France, Singapore, Morocco
- FGV-EAESP, Brazil
- School of Management Fudan University, China
- IE Business School, Spain
- Keio Business School, Japan
- Monash Business School, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia
- Olin Business School, USA
- Smith School of Business, Canada
- Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa
- Trinity Business School, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
- Warwick Business School, United Kingdom.
