Sustainable Development & Corporate Social Responsibility Research Axis

Momentum, themes, methodologies and distinctive features of the SD and CSR focus area

The challenge of the SD and CSR focus area is to drive and promote high-level academic research that makes an effective contribution to the ecological and social transition. To achieve this, the focus area fosters a scientific dynamic committed to keeping Excelia at the forefront of sustainability, corporate social and environmental responsibility, and ethics. This research is therefore intended to have an impact both on the teaching content delivered to our students and on partner organisations, the regions where our study locations are based and, more broadly, society as a whole. Indeed, the SD and CSR focus area is part of Excelia’s DNA. It helped shape the institution’s history, making the school a pioneer in this field from the late 1990s onwards, even before the European Union popularised the concept of CSR through its Green Paper. It is therefore essential to work to strengthen and enhance Excelia’s expertise and recognition in the field of ecological and social transition, both nationally and internationally.

In practical terms, the SD and CSR focus area is aimed at all Excelia researchers, whatever their management discipline (sustainable finance, expanded accounting, responsible strategies, human resources, green supply chain, marketing, etc.); and even in related disciplinary fields (economics, law, sociology, etc.). They also draw on a broad range of qualitative and quantitative methodologies.
One distinctive feature of the SD and CSR focus area is its strong commitment to the engaged scholarship movement, which pays particular attention to the societal usefulness of management research. In this respect, in situ research is strongly encouraged by many faculty researchers. This mainly takes shape through research contracts or partnership agreements between the school and companies, associations, public authorities, etc. As a result, a genuine expertise in intervention research has developed within the SD and CSR focus area, building on the IRSI chairs.

 

The challenge is threefold: 

• To produce high-level academic research that is recognised nationally and internationally.
• To have an impact on organisations, regions and, more broadly, society as a whole by contributing proactively to the ecological and social transition.
• To support high-quality teaching rooted in the most recent CSR issues facing organisations, in order to train responsible managers. 

Research seminars within the SD and CSR focus area

The focus area’s research seminars are designed to stimulate research work related to sustainable development and CSR issues. These seminars may take four forms:

• To enable Excelia researchers to present their ongoing research so that it can be discussed and improved with a view to publication. It is also an opportunity to gain a better understanding of our respective work and initiate new collaborations at the crossroads of our areas of expertise.
   
• Occasionally, these presentations may concern ongoing doctoral theses or preparations for the HDR qualification. Inviting external researchers – recognised for the relevance of their work in SD and CSR, but also in methodological and epistemological terms. The aim of this openness is to introduce or deepen theories and methodologies...
   
• To exchange with international researchers from partner universities and business schools in order to initiate new research programmes.
   
• To bring together researchers around a project (edited volume, theme to be promoted, organisation of a recognised scientific conference, etc.).

Relations with the academic world, the professional world, local regions and the international sphere

Researchers in the SD and CSR focus area are actively involved in and hold responsibilities within the main French-speaking scientific associations (ADERSE, RIODD, etc.) and international associations (EURAM, EGOS, etc.) dealing with SD and CSR, as well as in thematic French and international academic journals (editorial responsibilities, special issues, reviewing). They also organise academic conferences.

In connection with their in situ research, they are also involved in numerous professional networks (Orée, ORSE, Altere, etc.) and institutional networks (AFNOR, CGE, Plateforme RSE, etc.) addressing CSR and SD issues (professional conferences, talks, participation in working groups).

Researchers in the focus area share their work through the media (print press, radio, web TV) with audiences in the regions where the study locations are based, as well as nationwide.

The SD and CSR focus area is also intended to contribute to an international academic dynamic: initiating international partnerships (with Siena University, Italy, and with Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway – currently being finalised); seminars, workshops, meet the editors events, and research projects involving/inviting international partners.

Key figures

In 2025, the research activities of the Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Research Axis resulted in 118 intellectual contributions, distributed as follows: 

• 72 ranked academic journal articles 
• 8 non-ranked articles, including columns and commentaries 
• 38 other intellectual contributions, including journal editorial roles and media appearances. 

Sustainability and CSR Research Axis meetings and events –  January 2024-June 2025

• January 11, 2024: Workshop on a collective book project with Pierre Baret (Excelia Business School) and Fanny Romestant (Groupe Y) on responsible best practices. 
• January 19, 2024: Second workshop on the collective book project with Pierre Baret (Excelia Business School) and Fanny Romestant (Groupe Y) focusing on responsible best practices. 
• February 2, 2024: Seminar by Carmen Olsen (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences) and Even Fallan (Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences) on “The impact of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) on European firms.” 
• August 2, 2024: Responsible Finance seminar with Nouha Ben Arfa, Aymen Habib, and Jean Moussavou (Excelia Business School) covering three presentations: “The impact of firm-level political risk on ESG performance,” “Environmental performance and capital structure: the case of European listed companies,” and “Institutional investors: reconciling performance and meaning.” 
• October 11, 2024: Seminar by Carmen Olsen (Western Norway University of Applied Sciences) entitled “What do sustainability reports tell us about the value creation of digital platform markets?” 
• February 17, 2025: Seminar by Cécile Ezvan (Excelia Business School) entitled “Living strong sustainability: an analysis of six French ecovillages through the lens of relational capabilities.” 
• March 24, 2025: Seminar by Dimbi Ramonjy and Philippe Schäfer (Excelia Business School) on the trajectory and identity of a Malagasy entrepreneur, followed by a presentation of the RIPME journal publication process. 
• March 28, 2025: International seminar of the Sustainability Research Axis with Laura A. Colombo (University of Exeter Business School) and James Scott Vandeventer (Manchester Metropolitan University Business School) on “Rethinking Management Sciences for Ecological and Social Transitions,” including a session on “Degrowth in Management Education: Experiences from the classroom.” 
• May 14, 2025: Seminar by Lovasoa Ramboarisata (ESG UQAM, Canada) on “A decolonial reading of CSR and socio-ecological transitions,” followed by a presentation of the Revue de l’Organisation Responsable (ROR). 
• June 3, 2025: Seminar by Jean-François Chanlat (Université Paris Dauphine PSL; HEC Montréal; Université de Rennes) entitled “Homo anthropologicus – Management confronted with the human condition.” 

Discover and download our report on the ecological and societal transition