Research That Drives Sustainability (20/21)

From slave-free chocolate to controversial bike sharing schemes, 15 new case studies crafted by INSEAD faculty drive the message of sustainability and explore the relationship between business and society.

INSEAD produces unique, diverse and world-class research owing to its faculty and shares this in its classrooms and online platforms to amplify the knowledge, so it can be used to consult real-world business decisions. We look back at the 20/21 academic year to highlight 15 newly published sustainability-related cases in fields from sustainable finance, tech for good, supply chain transformation among others, and how they will continue to inspire and nurture individuals that create prosperity and progress for all.

As the driving force of sustainability at INSEAD, the Hoffmann Global Institute for Business and Society via the Research and Development Committee, supports sustainability research projects led by our faculty, as well as financially supporting the hiring of post-doctorates and research assistants that are essential to the production of the sustainability-related research highlighted here.

Business as a force for good is at the core of the school, and many cases reflected this as they discussed initiatives from social enterprises to start-ups that are striving to create and sustain a positive impact. Professor Jasjit Singh explored how refugee-supporting social enterprises like NaTakallam can ensure both impact realization and financial sustainability.

Elaborating on the case and his approach to teaching, Singh mentioned, “I like to adopt a critical lens on what “impact” really means and discuss how maximising one’s impact requires extending beyond just good intentions to taking a rigorous approach towards realising impact. My focus is on examining how to complement your passion for serving society with strategic thinking to maximise the breadth, depth and sustainability of your real impact.”

Using the example of EMMA Safety Footwear in two cases of designing and implementing the strategy, Professors Luk Van Wassenhove and Andre Calmon demonstrated the economic and supply chain transformation required for the business to truly walk-the-talk on sustainability.

Discussing the chocolate industry, Van Wassenhove explains the link between the cocoa supply chain and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how consumers, producers and policymakers can make more informed and sustainable choices. Highlighting the example of responsibly produced chocolate by Tony’s Chocolonely, Van Wassenhove also showcased the challenges faced by similar businesses in tackling complex social issues and ecosystems.

Sharing more about the motivations behind the research, Van Wassenhove said, “Our research and cases are geared at making people ask the right questions and giving them frameworks to think systematically about them, instead of being idealistic or naïve.” He elaborates that while many people want to do what is better for the planet and society, the challenge is creating feasible steps to reach that goal of “transforming themselves into truly sustainable entities, while helping consumers access accurate information.”

Note: Images used in this story are taken in 2012 and 2013 (pre-pandemic)
 

Addressing another social issue but that of education in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Professor Victoria Sevcenko examined the complications of ensuring alignment among multiple stakeholders, strategies for scaling and the role of non-monetary incentives based on an educational foundation, En Classe. Dealing with a separate alignment challenge of creating value for society while capturing value for the business, Professor James Costantini focused on nam.R – a start-up using open data to help resolve global warming, and how it can determine a competitive advantage.

Covering the importance of sustainable competitive advantage and reigniting growth, Professor Amitava Chattopadhyay examined the transformation of Xiaomi. The case addressed strategic questions of transforming into an IoT ecosystem, or pursuing a solely smartphones approach, and the advantages and pitfalls of adopting a pure online strategy in large emerging markets. The case is also available in Chinese.

Sustainable finance and investment are an integral part of pushing the sustainability agenda. Professor Lucie Tepla studied the successful innovation in sustainable financing and explored environmental, social, governance (ESG) ratings with Barry Callebaut – the largest B2B cocoa and chocolate company in the world - as an example. Continuing the conversation on sustainable investment, Van Wassenhove showcased the journey of the European Investment Bank (EIB) in financing sustainable projects, its innovation of green bonds and how the global finance community can be inspired to follow suit.

Discussing sustainability in transportation, Costantini published two cases based on the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo’s mandate to build a greener city. One examined the complex trade-offs, managing the needs of different stakeholders while advancing political agenda among other multiple issues, while the addressed the difficulties of operating a shared mobility business on a day-to-day basis and the key issues in a public-private partnership.

Reviewing the transport industry from the lens of the customer, Professor Joerg Niessing published a case in Japanese, based on the premium car maker Jaguar Land Rover. The case provides insights into the customer journey, relevant touchpoints and how CRM solutions can be an advantage in leveraging smart-data analytics in the fast-changing automotive sector. The English version was published earlier in 2018 and can be accessed here.

Using an innovative example, Professors Atalay Atasu and Manuel Sosa examined the lifecycle of a VHS tape in their mini case study focusing on the circular economy. The case highlights the design-for-circularity approach for an entire product or its components and materials, where it re-enters the production system to be re-made instead of ending up in a landfill.

Lastly, delving into the arena of health, Professor Mark Stabile assessed the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on America’s healthcare coverage. This examines aspects of the national healthcare system inclusive of Medicaid and Medicare and highlights what ACA left undone and how legislative changes exposed the fragility and inequality of healthcare in the United States.

Given the long-running relationship INSEAD has with sustainability, we look forward to continuing to support and share research, conversations and actions that drive this message. This rich corpus of sustainability-related and evidence-based material forms the core of our teaching and is used across our MBA and Executive programmes to provide our students and participants with tools and frameworks to become responsible leaders. As a school that leads by example, INSEAD will continue to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions that redefine the role of business and business education into a more responsible and inclusive one.