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14-15 May 2026 Birmingham (United Kingdom)
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Call for papersThe 9th Edition of Ethical Finance and Sustainability (EFS) Conference (EFS-2026) is about the Role of AI and FinTech. EFS 2026 is 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.
We cordially invite academics, practitioners, and policymakers to submit proposals and papers covering these and related issues. Authors will be expected to participate in the conference and papers will be eligible for publication, subject to editorial and peer-reviews. |
