Seminar topic
The time has come for fundamental change. To ensure prosperity for humanity in the long term and recovery from the economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, transformation to sustainability is necessary. Achieving sustainability—i.e., a safe and just operating space for humanity—requires changing the way the business operates.
In this seminar, we seek to combine the two parallel debates on how to achieve a circular economy and how to achieve business that contributes to sustainability (corporate sustainability). While there is some overlap between these two debates, our aim is to integrate them, joined together through the recognition that neither a circular economy nor incremental corporate sustainability initiatives are sufficient if they do not contribute to achieving sustainability.
A circular economy cannot be one that is only more resource-efficient. It must be one that is resource sufficient, one that uses enough resources to facilitate the securing of the social foundation for humanity and does it in a way that ensures that we stay within the limits of our planet. Corporate sustainability initiatives must ensure that patterns of production and selling techniques that foster linear, narrowly focused business models are replaced with circular ones that broadly engage with and promote global sustainability goals. Positioning the corporate sustainability discussion within the discourse of how to achieve a sustainable circular economy highlights that we need to see transformational change in business as a part of a broader transitioning of our economy.
In this seminar, we aim to feature a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary research contributions that propose solutions, whether for new policies and legislative reforms, for changes within the business, or for channelling other societal, economic, or financial incentives towards achieving sustainable business as an element of the transition towards a sustainable circular economy.
We invite contributions across a range of themes including the following topics:
- Analysis of circular economy regimes in light of broader sustainability goals.
- Integrating social justice in a circular economy.
- Promoting the transition to sustainable business models.
- Sustainable value creation as an element of a sustainable circular economy.
- The content and implications of mandatory sustainability due diligence.
- Sustainability reporting in a sustainable circular economy.
- Bringing global value chains into a sustainable circular business model.
- The role of employees and workers in a sustainable circular economy.
- From consumers to sustainability-oriented citizens.
- Banking and finance in a sustainable circular economy.
- Intellectual property rights as a driver of and an obstacle to a sustainable circular economy.
- Competition in a sustainable circular economy.
Publication of selected papers is envisaged in a special issue of a high-level journal or an edited volume with a high-level publisher. Please indicate in the comments field when you submit your abstract whether you are interested in having your paper considered for publication, or whether it is already published or planned published elsewhere.
Please submit the title and abstract (of maximum 200 words) of your planned paper through this online form by November 7, 2021.
Deadlines
- Abstract submission deadline: 7 November 2021
- Notification of acceptance: 21 November 2021
- Date of hybrid seminar where papers will be presented: 11-12 January 2022
- Tentative deadline for submission of final paper: 1 March 2022
Organizer
Futuring Sustainable Nordic Business Models
- Dr. Eléonore Maitre-Ekern, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, Norway
- Prof. Beate Sjåfjell, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, Norway
- Prof. Jukka Mähönen, Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, Norway