The Topic of the Conference

Without respecting and nurturing ‘place’ we cannot achieve a state of ecological sustainability. Place-based organizations are not run on a purely materialistic basis. The non-materialistic features of a place (aesthetics, cultural heritage, community feelings, and transcendence, and so on) should be integrated into sustainability management. Place-based organizations break with the economic logic of efficiency and profit maximization and organize their activities around the ideal of encompassing feelings of identity with and attachment to a place.

Place based sustainability requires a radical rethinking and reforming of our economies. The vision of Pope Francis “Economy of Francis” calls for a new economy “one that brings life not death, one that is inclusive and not exclusive, humane and not dehumanizing, one that cares for the environment and does not despoil it”.

The conference aims to contribute to the ecological transformation of humankind by exploring theoretical and practical models that integrate the sense of the place, ethics and spirituality in new ways of organizing of economic and social life.

Issues to be Addressed

The material and spiritual aspects of the present economic and environmental crisis

• Working models of placed based sustainability
• Aesthetics and grace in our relationship with nature
• Frugality and simplicity in consumption and production
• Limiting the scale of the economy relative to the ecosystem and restraining uneconomic growth
• The role of business in society and nature for achieving sustainable Earth
• Purpose-driven and benefit corporation: emerging insights and perspectives for sustainability
• The inner connection between ecology and social justice as framework and compass for the economy
• Responsible business and earth spirituality
• Art and Literature as representing sane and healthy living alternatives 
• Developing ecological consciousness in organizations
• Good practices of ecological accounting and auditing

Program

Thursday 19 May, Friday 20 May, Saturday  21 May | download here

Scientific Committee

Maria-Gabriella Baldarelli, University of Bologna; Luk Bouckaert, Catholic University of Leuven; Luigino Bruni, Lumsa University Rome and Sophia University Institute; Mara Del Baldo, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”; Knut Ims, Norwegian School of Economics; Hendrik Opdebeeck, University of Antwerp; Elisabetta Righini, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”; Gianfanco Rusconi, University of Bergamo; Antonio Tencati, University of Brescia and Bocconi University Milan; Laszlo Zsolnai, Corvinus University of Budapest and European SPES Institute, Leuven

Contacts: spesurbino@gmail.com | 0039 0722 369406