As climate risks intensify, businesses and public authorities face a critical need to adapt. To address this challenge, ESCP Business School and AXA Climate are launching the Adaptation(s) Programme.
An ADEME study[1] reveals that, out of more than 3,000 companies surveyed in 2023, only half believe they have taken sufficient action to adapt. Current efforts primarily focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions,with few initiatives dedicated to adaptation.
With this in mind, ESCP Business School and AXA Climate have joined forces to create a climate adaptation programme designed for businesses and the public sector. This initiative fosters dialogue between academics and practitioners, aiming to catalyse impactful action on this pressing issue.
A programme built around three initiatives
The Adaptation(s) Programme, running throughout 2025, leveragesthe combined practical and theoretical expertise of both institutions across three complementary initiatives:- A research component, with the joint publication of scientific papers and an Adaptation Barometer aimed at the general public. The goal is to analyse how public and private organisations deal with adaptation issues: what challenges and risks should be avoided? What strategies or actions can be leveraged? The findings will shed new light on the subject and showcase best practices in climate adaptation. Led by Professor Aurélien Acquier, this research will be conducted by the ESCP Sustainability Institute, headed by in collaboration with various professors and doctoral students at ESCP Business School.
- A series of public conferences will bring together professionals and students to discuss crucial topics, such as regional adaptation strategies, the intersection of adaptation and mitigation, and communication challenges in climate transformation.
- Finally, an exploration programme will engage around twenty pioneering organisations with very different profiles (CAC40, SMEs, local authorities, etc.). Through collaborative workshops, meetings with experts and study trips, this project will foster the exchange of perspectives and insights to drive innovation and develop common solutions.
Generating insights to inform decision-making
This partnership is based on a shared vision: to put collaboration and the sharing of perspectives at the service of concrete solutions to the challenges of climate change.
Antoine Denoix, CEO of AXA Climate, emphasises the importance of this collective approach:
« It’s our firm belief that there can be no good adaptation without collaboration; and in a complex, rapidly changing world, embracing diverse viewpoints is essential. We are thrilled to partner with ESCP Business School and the companies that have placed their trust in us to bring together these different insights. »
Léon Laulusa, Managing Director of ESCP Business School, highlights the vital role of local and organisational foundations in driving forward research and practice:
« Adaptation is, above all, a practical approach, shaped by the specific needs of each region and organisation. This innovative partnership, by enabling research to question practices, aims to build on what is being done today to produce common knowledge for the benefit of all. Disseminating this knowledge is obviously one of the core missions of our School, particularly with regard to sustainability issues, which we have been integrating into all our teaching and research activities for several years now. »
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Read the press release
[1] ADEME, the French Agency for Ecological Transition. En entreprise, comment s’engager dans un parcours d’adaptation au changement climatique? Guide developed in partnership with the association Entreprises pour l’Environnement (EpE) and the French Ministry of Ecological Transition, 2024. Available online: infos.ademe.fr.
