The world is confronted with unprecedented challenges, notably climate change, the current COVID-19 global pandemic, the rise of populism and the digital and biological revolutions. The first three threaten the economic and social wellbeing of this and the next generations; the last one is both a source of disruption and considerable opportunities. All of them constitute major change factors as the responses to these challenges will shape the world of tomorrow. E4S is founded on the conviction that our world is at a critical juncture and that many drivers of our social and economic lives will soon be unrecognizable. This situation creates both uncertainty and opportunities.
Institutions of higher learning have a responsibility to help individuals and organizations overcome these challenges and anticipate the consequent societal changes. The success in these two missions, requires combining multiple perspectives. It is in this spirit that three institutions of academic excellence, the University of Lausanne through its Faculty of Business and Economics (UNIL-HEC), the Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), under the stewardship of its College of Management of Technology, have joined forces in Enterprise for Society (E4S).
E4S is dedicated to helping society overcome its challenges and spearheading the transition toward a more resilient, environmentally responsible and inclusive economy.
Toward a more resilient economy. E4S aims to strengthen economic institutions, rethink the “conditions-cadre” and accelerate the changes conducive to greater resilience when faced with rare or unforeseen external shocks.
Toward a more environmentally responsible economy. E4S fosters the transition to a stakeholder economy geared toward a model of sustainable development.
Toward a more inclusive economy. E4S aims to make economic and social development intelligible and acceptable by conceiving efficient support measures for those suffering from the disruptions it provokes as well as promoting redistributive mechanisms, collaborative behaviors and ethical principles that ensure equal opportunities for all components of society.
Harnessing the power of novel technologies. E4S aims to ensure that technical innovation effectively translates into economic, environmental and social value creation.
