19.9.2025
On September 11, 2025, ESSEC Global MBA students launched a collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) as part of ESSEC’s Towards Responsible Innovation (TRI) project. This initiative explores how trade can drive climate action and sustainable development. The project is led by Professor Xavier Pavie at ESSEC, together with Chantal Line Carpentier, Claudia Contreras and Malick Kane from UNCTAD.
UNCTAD is the United Nations body responsible for trade and development, with a mission to help developing countries integrate into the global economy in ways that are fair, sustainable, and inclusive. Headquartered in Geneva, it unites 195 member states and provides research, policy advice, and technical cooperation on issues such as trade, investment, technology, and sustainable development.
The ESSEC–UNCTAD collaboration aims to harness trade as a catalyst for climate resilience, low-carbon diversification, and the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. It reflects a joint effort to ensure that trade contributes not only to economic growth but also to environmental protection and social progress.
Students, guided by UNCTAD mentors, are exploring six areas:
Technology Transfer & Low-Carbon Value Chains
Low-Carbon Technologies & Financing Solutions
Reform of the Trade System
Circular Economy
Funding Strategies
Food Security, Trade & Climate Change
As part of the TRI program, this collaboration offers ESSEC students a unique opportunity to contribute to real-world sustainability strategies and engage directly with UN policymakers. For UNCTAD, it brings in fresh business perspectives that can help developing countries address the challenges of climate change and trade.
Looking ahead to UNCTAD XVI in Geneva in October 2025, the ESSEC–UNCTAD partnership demonstrates how academia and international organizations can work together to make trade a true engine of sustainable development.
