The Chair in Detail
Overview
Editorial by Maxime Merli
Head of the Finance and Environmental Challenges Chair
The transition toward a more frugal and less-polluting economy requires the mobilization of all economic actors—first and foremost those in the financial sector. Given the enormous challenge, savings and investments must now more than ever change course and play a role in reaching this objective. Despite the willingness of some players, there are still plenty of obstacles (uncertain European regulations; divergent ESG ratings, questionable impact measures; problematic investment horizons; greenwashing). Through this corporate chair, we seek to play a part in promoting finance that serves the environment and climate.
Maxime MERLI
Our Research Areas
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Investment behaviors and preferences in response to climate change
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Environmental impact of portfolios and greenwashing
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"Green" savings and the financial choices of individual investors (and households)
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CSR and corporate investment horizons
Our Mission
Created in September 2022, renewed in September 2025 and funded by a donation from CIC Corporate & Institutional Banking (CIC CIB) to the University of Strasbourg Foundation, the mission of this corporate chair is trifold:
- provide a platform for exchanges between market professionals and academics,
- support the development of research on responsible and sustainable investments, and
- foster the development of original teaching material for students.
Steering Committee Members
- Maxime Merli - EM Strasbourg Business School, University of Strasbourg, LaRGE
- Joël Petey - Sciences Po Strasbourg, University of Strasbourg, LaRGE
- Tristan Roger - ICN Business School, CEREFIGE
Front-office traders of the Investment business line of CIC CIB complete the steering committee.
Associate Members
- Catherine D’Hondt - UCLouvain, Louvain School of Management, LFIN / LIDAM
- Vivien Lefebvre - EM Strasbourg Business School, University of Strasbourg, LaRGE
- Pauline Johannes - EM Strasbourg Business School, University of Strasbourg, LaRGE
Recent Member Publications
- Climate Concerns, Salient Events, and Green Preferences, (M. Merli, J. Petey, T. Roger), Economics Letters, 255, 2025.
- Green Values and Transparency of Household Savings: A Survey, (M.Merli, M.Pulikova, T.Roger), The European Journal of Finance, 2024.
- Going Green? On the Drivers of Individuals’ Green Bank Adoption, (M.Merli, J.Pallud, M.Pulikova), Business Ethics, the Environment and Responsibility, 2024.
- Retail Investors and ESG investing: Demand Drivers, Trading Behavior and Investors Profile, (C.D’Hondt, M.Merli, T.Roger), Research Report / OEE, 2024.
- ESG investing: Retail Investors Profile and Behavior, (C.D’Hondt, M.Merli, T.Roger), Research Report / IEF, 2024.
- Do Financial Analysts Care About ESG? (T.Roger), Finance Research Letters, 2024.
- What Drives the Retail Portfolio Exposure to ESG Factors? (C.D’Hondt, M.Merli, T.Roger), Finance Research Letters, 2022.
Testimonials
"I am delighted with the continuation of our collaboration with a team of academic researchers on an essential topic. We are thus reaffirming our objectives to accelerate internal reflection at CIC CIB, to conduct scientific studies, and to enable researchers to publish academic articles on 'green' finance and sustainable investments. This chair strengthens the longstanding and recurring ties that exist between our institutions through training programs and welcoming students into our organization."
"I am delighted with the continuation of our collaboration with a team of academic researchers on an essential topic. We are thus reaffirming our objectives to accelerate internal reflection at CIC CIB, to conduct scientific studies, and to enable researchers to publish academic articles on 'green' ...
Contact
Maxime MERLI
Head of the Finance and Environmental Challenges Chair