Luxury house Hermès has announced its partnership with Sciences Po to develop a European chair focused on environmentally-friendly and social initiatives. The chair will be hosted at the School of International Affairs and School of Public Affairs in Paris, with the aim of advancing education, innovation, and public dialogue surrounding sustainable development policies and climate transition. By bringing together various stakeholders, the project will explore topics such as territorial well-being, climate change adaptations, social inclusion, and biodiversity preservation. This interdisciplinary approach seeks to go beyond traditional disciplines and analyze sustainable development from economic, sociological, technological, and humanistic perspectives.
Hermès is collaborating with the European Investment Bank and HSBC in this initiative, seeing it as a project that aligns with their artisanal model, which is deeply rooted in social commitment and territorial ties. According to Olivier Fournier, General Director of Governance and Organization Development at Hermès, the chair underscores the interconnected aspects of sustainable development, including climate transition, economic development, and social inclusion. This approach brings together diverse actors and expertise, relying on collective intelligence to delve into the analysis of territorial roots. He further emphasizes that this initiative is a social and societal challenge that is important to Hermès.
This partnership forms part of Hermès’ corporate social responsibility strategy, which has recently been recognized for its inclusivity. The company ranked in the Top 5 of the Diversity Leaders list, launched by the Financial Times to commend the most inclusive companies in Europe.
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