Marcello Palazzi, co-founder of B Lab: ‘Legislation, capital, and leadership must be regenerated to serve society and the planet’
‘To move from extractive to regenerative capitalism, we need an urgent and ambitious change in the system. Legislation, capital, and leadership must be regenerated to serve society and the planet’, said Marcello Palazzi, co-founder of B Lab Europe and global ambassador of the brand, a non-profit organization that campaigns for an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy. Palazzi inaugurated Esade's ‘Sustainability Week’ with a speech entitled ‘The role of business schools in training responsible leaders’. During his speech, the B Lab ambassador explained that: ‘legislation must change to favor the rights of nature; and capital, in addition to pursuing profit, must ensure a positive and sustainable impact for its investments. Meanwhile, leadership – which is developed in higher education – must include sustainability in all its decisions’.
Keys to new sustainable leadership
Koldo Echebarria explained: ‘To face the challenge of sustainability, leaders must be trained in four essential qualities: the proficiency needed to be good professionals; an awareness of the values and context implicit when taking decisions; the empathy needed to understand others; and the commitment to our planet and society needed to proactively drive change’.
The co-founder of B Lab, together with Koldo Echebarria, discussed how business schools are key players in accelerating the global cultural and educational change that is redefining the role of business in society. ‘The new leadership must pursue positive impact, so it is important that leaders learn to live with purpose’, said Palazzi. Echebarria said that to train students and professionals in this field it is necessary to join forces with other organizations working in economic, social, and environmental sustainability: ‘Because knowledge is everywhere, working together with companies, start-ups, and non-profit organizations is essential for generating ecosystems of change’.
Marcello Palazzi’s presentation was followed by a roundtable discussion with Koldo Echebarria; Cristina Giménez, director of Identity and Mission at Esade; and Ingrid Campi, a student of Esade’s double degree in business management and law.
Esade Sustainability Week
The presentation and roundtable are part of Esade’s 'Sustainability Week', which takes place from 21 to 27 February. Under the title ‘Together for a better world’, the school is bringing together its community inside and outside the classroom to share experience and knowledge for a more sustainable society. Highlights include a lecture by Antonio Pelegrín, chief environmental prosecutor for Barcelona; a presentation by entrepreneur and investor Tim Schumacher, who has just launched the World Fund, Europe’s largest climate technology fund; a talk entitled: ‘From sustainability to regenerative agriculture’ by Miguel A. Torres, president of Familia Torres; a session on maintaining a healthy lifestyle with Cristina Ribes, executive director of the Gasol Foundation; and a hackathon against waste ‘The 0Waste Hackathon’. These and other activities can be found in the program.
