Conference Agenda

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations are increasingly critical in shaping corporate strategies, as firms are expected to actively respond to sustainability imperatives, social responsibility, and ethical conduct in the face of global challenges. In this context, both scholars and practitioners recognize family businesses (FBs) as a distinctive and relevant field for studying ESG behaviors. While it is well acknowledged that behavior of FBs differs from that of non-FBs, growing evidence suggests that FBs themselves are also not a homogeneous group with regard to ESG engagement, but rather exhibit significant heterogeneity.

A key source of this heterogeneity lies in the phases of succession process and the varying approaches to socioemotional wealth by the different family generations. Drawing on the behavioral strategy framework and the strand of research that considers the heterogeneity of FB behavior as a reflection of family members’ values, biases and heuristics, this paper explores how new generations involved in management influences the ESG behavior of FBs. Younger family generations may be more attuned to environmental, social, and ethical issues and could act as change agents, introducing innovative ESG practices.

The analysis of this dimension of heterogeneity can provide deeper insights into the diverse ESG approaches among FBs. This study aims at contributing to the literature by advancing the understanding of the different ESG engagement in FBs and offers practical implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to foster ESG commitment in this unique business context.

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Positive impact startups are a growing market that promises a real shift in thinking about technology as a tool to solve real social and environmental challenges. These companies are sometimes mistakenly perceived as organisations that have nothing to do with business. Yet they are equally, if not more, important organisations that understand how technology can be used to fix real problems in today's world. In this article, we describe the example of SWPS University's Startup Booster for Social Impact programme, which supports the development of such companies.

In this paper, we use 3D animation technologies to visualize, interpret and communicate geological heritage in Lesvos UNESCO Global Geopark. Our objective is to make geological heritage more accessible to the general public. 3D animations have been utilized as a means to periodically monitor and document changes in geological sites over time, supporting conservation initiatives. Additionally, they can replicate geological events, describe the formation and evolution of landscapes, simulate how we believe paleoenvironments looked for a holistic learning experience. Their interactive and dynamic nature can boost engagement and facilitate learning in an educational context, while it can also engage tourists by offering previews, virtual tours of inaccessible or fragile sites. In this paper, we select 21 case studies of geosites or monuments of geological heritage to 3D geo-visualize. The selection method is based on three criteria: accessibility, supervision and relief of the geosite out of the total number of 151 designated geosites of the Geopark. The results were verified with a pilot study to participants of environment educational programs in the Natural History Museum of Lesvos Petrified Forest in 2024. . Overall, the approach promotes visitor democracy, as all groups have access to the visualized geosites and can be used to further improve the visibility of the geosites and that of the Geopark.