emlyon launches the chair "Anthropocene Strategy" in partnership with Carbone 4
Published on 2023.10.18
emlyon business school and Carbone 4, a consulting firm specialized in decarbonization and adaptation to climate change, are launching the “Anthropocene Strategy ” chair conducted by Thomas Gauthier. The creation of this chair is a confirmation of the strong commitment of the two organizations, to the development of unique and competitive methodological approaches, which shall equip business leaders and directors to become the prime contractors of transition.
A renewed approach of the Anthropocene Strategy
Climate disruption, biodiversity loss and soil depletion are the symptoms of what is soon to be recognized by the scientific community as a new geological epoch. Namely: The Anthropocene. Its main characteristic: the era of human beings as the dominant force shaping Earth's geophysical composition and processes. For the first time ever, humanity is confronted with the limits of its natural and biophysical environment
For companies, such an unprecedented situation will lead in the short or medium terms, to structural transformations, brutal ones sometimes, but mainly rarely foreseeable, of their direct business environment, but also more broadly, of the socio-economic system in which they operate (behavioral change, reconfiguration of value chains or yet again, evolution of social standards and of institutions). Traditional approaches are no longer suited to anticipate and be ready to address such transformations. Usually based on prolonging or influencing historical trends (“business as usual”), they often prove short-sighted and too compartmentalized. Additionally, while low-carbon transition is a collective issue all organizations have to address, such traditional approaches do not allow to identify potential collaboration avenues between them, even though they are essential.
The main track lines of the new chair “Anthropocene Strategy”
The chair founded by emlyon business school and Carbone 4, “Anthropocene Strategy”, ambitions to contribute to the development of a framework and a method in business strategic thinking, able to stand the test of the Antropocene and the planetary limits. More practically, it will consist in:
- Conducting doctoral research works around strategic leadership and manufacturing coalitions in the Anthropocene,
- Broadcasting as largely as possible, the research results and methods in strategic thinking in the Anthropocene, via publications (scientific publications, peer-review articles, books) and events,
- Designing and testing pedagogical features for acculturation and competence growth of professionals and students, followed by conceiving and directing strategies on a par with the challenges of the Anthropocene.
The chair's sponsor for Carbone 4 is Laurent Morel, firm partner, who has been putting, for several years now, his experience as a business leader, at the service of initiatives helping companies in building a solid transition track. Laurent Morel is also President of the Institut Français pour la Performance du Bâtiment, an alliance of economic actors dedicated to implementing the means to a realistic and ambitious energy transition in the tertiary building sector. He is administrator of the The Shift Project think tank, and is accompanied by two Carbone 4 representatives to the chair, Jacques Portalier, Senior Manager, and Romain Grandjean, Manager.
Isabelle Huault, Executive President and Dean of emlyon business school “ The environmental issue is for emlyon a major strategic line. We are excited about the launching of this chair with Carbone 4, a chair which calls upon the mobilization of all our energies on such vital issues for our planet. With the “Antropocene Strategy” chair, we are pioneering the way, just like we did when we integrated environmental issues in all emlyon courses .”
Laurent Morel, Partner at Carbone 4 “In order to contribute to the transition, more than ever, companies need to picture and understand what could be their role in an undefined future, yet aligned with environmental constraints. The purpose of Carbone 4 is to help them achieve it. An important methodological work is being developed and this research chair founded with emlyon business school will be its catalyst.”
Thomas Gauthier, Professor at emlyon and holder of the “Anthropocene Strategy” chair “The Anthropocene calls for a radical change in strategic thinking and actions; companies need to implement unprecedented means to perceive and provide meaning for the world to come, in order to better transform ourselves and contribute to building “livable” worlds.
About emlyon business school:
Founded in 1872 by the Lyon CCI, emlyon business school has an enrollment of 9,050 students of 125 nationalities over 6 campuses worldwide (Lyon-Ecully, Saint-Etienne, Shanghai, Paris, Bhubaneswar and Mumbai). emlyon draws on a Faculty of 166 international professors and researchers, and a network of 200 global academic partners, to provide learning tracks of excellence opened to the world. emlyon runs a community of 41,700 alumni spread out in 130 countries. As a Société à Mission since July 2021, emlyon's raison d'être consists in: “providing life-long training and support to meaningful individuals able to transform organizations, for a fairer society, with more solidarity and respect for the planet.” In its early makers pedagogy, action and reflection are closely intertwined. Skill hybridization and social responsibility are at the heart of its training programs, where the best of both socio-economic and academic worlds meet.
www.em-lyon.com
About emlyon business school:
Carbone 4 assists the world's transformation towards decarbonization, biodiversity preservation and adaptation to climate change. Carbone 4 guides its clients in building resilient strategies compatible with planetary limits, by putting forward its leading expertise, its sectoral experiences and state-of-the-art methodology.
Press contacts:
KBZ Corporate for emlyon:
Laurence Martin - lmartin@kbzcorporate.com - 06 47 69 85 99
Karine Zimeray - kzimeray@kbzcorporate.com - 06 09 15 65 14
Carbone 4:
Romain Grandjean
Partnerships and Public Affairs Manager - romain.grandjean@carbone4.com