Swiss pure-play Lombard Odier has signed a multi-year partnership for financial research focused on a transition to a circular economy.
Lombard Odier and The Enterprise for Society Center (E4S) have entered a multi-year partnership, according to a statement, to develop research focused on the transition towards a circular economy. The research partnership aims to identify «corresponding societal challenges and the alignment of companies and investments».
«[O]ur economy must transition from one that is wasteful, idle, lopsided and dirty to one that is more circular, lean, inclusive and clean, involving transitions across energy systems, land and oceans, the way we use materials, and the way adverse environmental impacts are priced into the economy and into business models,» the statement said.
E4S
E4S is a hub focused on transitioning to a sustainable economy by providing education programs, supporting innovation and entrepreneurship and producing research reports and policy briefs. It was formed based on a joint venture between the University of Lausanne (UNIL), the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
«As a wealth and asset manager with a strong focus on sustainable investing, we believe it is critical for us to understand companies’ alignment and financial exposure to environmental transitions,» said Lombard Odier senior managing partner Hubert Keller.
«The circular economy and the comprehensive transformation of our material systems forms a key part of this transition and we hope that this research collaboration with E4S will lead to a deeper appreciation of these themes.»
