The UPF-BSM Sustainability Observatory publishes a book with twelve cross-cutting perspectives on planetary wellbeing
20 Junio - 2022
The Sustainability Observatory of the UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM), directed and coordinated by Oriol Montanyà and Erola Palau Pinyana, has published Chaising Planetary Wellbeing: Cross-cutting Perspectives on Sustainability, a choral book in which twelve professors analyse planetary wellbeing through multidisciplinary articles that address issues such as finance, logistics and technology, as well as management, housing and sport, among others.
"We at the Observatory have only shelled out a small part of all the knowledge that is being generated at the school in terms of sustainability and planetary wellbeing," said its director. "We are very proud of the work we are carrying out and of our contributions to the academic world, to society and to the business sector", emphasised Palau Pinyana. A success that she partly attributed to the "pool of UPF-BSM experts from different disciplines that allow us to adapt to the needs of each research project".
It is a trilingual publication with twelve articles written by UPF-BSM experts who approach sustainability from different perspectives
The session "Cross-cutting approaches to sustainability: monographic book release and discussion with experts" was attended by the Commissioner for Planetary Wellbeing of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Josep Lluís Martí, who welcomed the fact that the UPF-BSM "promotes initiatives such as these, in which, through the publication of a magnificent book, interaction is achieved between the university and, therefore, knowledge, and the business world". "At UPF we are committed to the Sustainable Development Goals through the Planetary Wellbeing project", said Martí, who assured that "it is absolutely in line with the concerns expressed in this book".
Martí is the author, together with the Vice-Rector for Social Commitment and Sustainability of the UPF, Ester Oliveras, of the introduction to the trilingual publication, which precedes a prologue written by the Minister for Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Teresa Jordà i Roura, in which she underlines the "elements of reflection" included in the articles and which "help to focus the debates" on sustainability. The book is also supported by the International Chair in Sustainable Finance and includes an epilogue by the Director General of Triodos Bank Spain, Mikel García-Prieto. "This publication will help those who have read it to create their own perspective, from the multidisciplinary knowledge and experience provided by those who have written it, to undertake solid social entrepreneurship projects with development potential", said García-Prieto.
The book includes an introduction by UPF Commissioner for Planetary Welfare, Josep Lluís Martí, and UPF Vice-Rector Ester Oliveras; a prologue by the Catalan Minister for Climate Action, Teresa Jordà; and an epilogue by Mikel García-Prieto, General Manager of Triodos Bank Spain
Bridging academia and business
The authors of the book include the directors of the Agbar Chair of International Studies in Institutional Communication for Development and Sustainable Growth, the International Chair of Sustainable Finance, the Mercadona Chair of Circular Economy and the Chair of Decent and Sustainable Housing. A fact that, according to Montanyà, "reflects the fact that part of the knowledge is also articulated through companies". "The purpose of the Observatory is, precisely, to serve as a bridge between the academia and the business world", added the academic coordinator, who recalled that in "our first year of life, we have received the Business with Social Value Award for our contributions with a positive social impact on society".
The conference included panels with the participation of academics and business representatives from Unilever, After, Cadena SER, Jobandtalent, Milanuncios and El País
The conference also included two panels with the participation of business representatives. Ana Palencia, Communication Director of Unilever, and Marc Ros, CEO of After, together with Marcos Eguiguren, Director of the International Chair of Sustainable Finance, debated greenwashing in companies in a session moderated by the journalist from Cadena SER, Carla Turró. On the other hand, Jorge Salas, from Jobandtalent, and Íñigo Vallejo, from Milanuncios, shared a panel with Nia Plamenova, professor of the Master in Human Resources Management, and Ana Freire, director of the Academic Area of Operations, Technology and Science at UPF-BSM, to talk about the role of technology in labour well-being in a session led by Ana Pantaleoni, journalist from El País.
"We are very satisfied because the event has been able to reflect sustainability from a holistic mentality -economic, environmental and social-, which is how we understand it from the Observatory and from the UPF-BSM", concluded Montanyà.
Articles in the book
- Why is the current e-commerce model no longer sustainable?
Oriol Montanyà, Director of the Sustainability Observatory - Alternative and sustainable mobility in Barcelona: farewell to car?
Andrei Boar, Lecturer in the Finance, Accounting, and Control Department - Smart cities: innovation and sustainability working side-by-side
Susana Domingo, Director of the Strategy and Entrepreneurship Academic Area - Do we pollute when we store our information in the cloud?
Ana Freire, Director of the Operations, Technology and Science Department - Housing rehabilitation: how to live longer and better
Erola Palau Pinyana, Academic Coordinator of the Sustainability Observatory - Co-operative social entrepreneurship
Ramon Bastida, Vice-dean for Knowledge Transfer - Sustainable finance or the rapture of Europe
Marcos Eguiguren, Director of the International Chair in Sustainable Finance - Greenwashing: an unsustainable strategy
Fàtima Vidal, Lecturer in the Business and Management Strategy Department - Green consumers: a business opportunity for brands
Carolina Luis, Director of the Mercadona Chair in Circular Economy
Alicia de los Reyes López, Alumni of the Master's Degree in International Business - The never-ending road to sustainable people management
Nia Plamenova, Lecturer of the Master's Degree in Human Resources Management - Limits of frustration and certain leaderships
Toni Aira, Director of the Agbar Chair in International Studies in Institutional Communication for Development and Sustainable Growth - Sport and sustainability: game on the line
Xavier Moya, Director of the Master in Sports Management