The 9^th Edition of Ethical Finance and Sustainability (EFS) Conference (EFS-2026), jointly organized by the Aston Business School (Aston University Birmingham), EDC Paris Business School, and CY Paris Cergy University, will take place on 14-15 May 2026 in Aston Business School, Aston University, Birmingham (UK).

The achievement of the seventh sustainable development goal (SDG#7: affordable and clean energy) remains at the forefront of the global sustainability agenda, aiming to ensure universal access to clean and affordable energy while accelerating the deployment of renewable energy sources. Since the Paris Agreement of 2015, significant progress has been made in setting ambitious targets for reducing carbon emissions, with many countries committing to net-zero pathways by 2050. However, the urgency of climate action has only increased. The Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) of the IPCC highlights that the window to keep global warming below 1.5°C is rapidly closing, and stronger, faster, and fairer actions are required. Over the past two years, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and sustainable finance have entered a critical phase. Regulators in the EU (through the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation – SFDR and the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – CSRD), in the US (via the SEC climate disclosure rules), and in other jurisdictions have established stricter disclosure and accountability frameworks. At the same time, growing concerns around “greenwashing” and the effectiveness of ESG ratings have raised calls for harmonization and transparency in sustainable investment practices. 

In 2024 and 2025, ESG investing is moving from a voluntary, marketing-driven concept to a regulated, evidence-based approach linked to measurable impact. Geopolitical tensions, including the energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and disruptions in supply chains have further exposed the vulnerabilities of global energy and financial systems. These crises have underscored the complexity of the “just transition,” where climate goals must be balanced with affordability, social equity, and economic resilience. Meanwhile, record flows into green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and transition finance instruments highlight the financial sector’s growing role in enabling decarbonization and adaptation. Today, the critical questions are not only about the adequacy of climate targets, but also about implementation: How to mobilize capital at scale? How to ensure that ESG frameworks translate into real-world impact? How to reconcile climate objectives with financial stability, business ethics, and social justice? Addressing these questions requires interdisciplinary approaches bridging finance, economics, management, and social sciences. Against this backdrop, the conference welcomes contributions that shed light on the evolving landscape of green and sustainable finance, ESG integration, climate risk pricing, transition finance, business ethics, CSR, energy transition, and the governance of sustainability. 

Papers offering both theoretical insights and practical implications are encouraged. Selected contributions will be eligible for publication, subject to editorial review. We warmly invite academics, practitioners, and policymakers to join us in this critical conversation and to contribute to advancing knowledge and practice in the field of sustainable finance and economics. 

Prof. Dr. Anna Creti 

 Prof. Dr. Omrane Guedhami 

Dr. Omrane Guedhami is the C. Russell Hill professor and Professor of International finance at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. He has been the coordinating director of the Ph.D. program in international finance since 2008. Dr. Guedhami earned his M.Sc. in finance from HEC Montreal in 1998, and his Ph.D. in finance from Laval University in 2003. 

Dr. Guedhami’s research interests are international, covering corporate finance and governance, accounting, national culture, corporate social responsibility, climate finance, and biodiversity finance. His publication record includes more than 130 peer-reviewed articles published in leading academic journals (e.g., 42 articles in Financial Times’ Top 50 Journals List), including the Journal of Financial Economics, Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Accounting Review, Journal of Accounting Research, Journal of Accounting and Economics, Management Science, Contemporary Accounting Research, Review of Finance, Journal of International Business Studies, Accounting, Organization, and Society, and Journal of Business Ethics, among others. His research is influential and widely cited. He has more than 22,800 Google Scholar citations. He has received numerous research distinctions and prestigious awards, including the Moskowitz Prize for Socially Responsible Investing (Center for Responsible Business, Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley), the Best Paper Award at the China Goes Global Conference (Harvard Kennedy School), and the Emerald Citations of Excellence Award. Recently, he was identified as a “Top Journal of Corporate Finance Author” between 1994 and 2018, and also the most prolific corporate governance scholar. He was voted Professor of the Year in 2005, 2013, and 2020. Dr. Guedhami regularly organizes high-quality academic conferences across North America, Asia and Europe, guest-edits special journal issues, serves as a track-chair at major conferences (e.g., Academy of International Business, Eastern Finance Association), and delivers keynote speeches at various international events. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief of Corporate Governance: An International Review, and Editor for Contemporary Accounting Research, Journal of Business Ethics, Emerging Markets Review, and Consulting Editor for the Journal of International Business Studies. His website is: http://www.omraneguedhami.com/

Prof. Dr. Brian Lucey

Prof. Annie Bellier (co-chair), CY Cergy Paris University, (France) 

Prof. Sajid Chaudhry (co-chair), Aston Business School, Birmingham (UK)

Prof. Zied Ftiti (founder & co-chair), EDC Paris Business School, Paris (France) 

1) Corporate Governance : An International Review (ABS 3)

2) The International Journal of Finance & Economics (ABS 3)

3) International Review of Economics & Finance