Integral Finance: the stakes and challenges of finance at the service of human development.

On June 6, Élisabeth Gressieux, Professor of Business Ethics and CSR at ESSCA, took part in the 2nd Journée de la Finance Intégrale (Integral Finance Day) organized in Paris by the Ora et Labora association, in partnership with CredoLending and other committed players in the finance sector. The aim of the event was to discuss the challenges of finance in the service of integral human development, drawing lessons from past crises and reflecting on the future direction of finance.

On this occasion, she was a guest on Louis Daufresne's "Le Grand Témoin" program on Radio Notre Dame.

In this interview, she discussed various topics related to integral finance, including the compatibility of ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria with the Social Doctrine of the Church (DSE).

She also addressed the need for finance to be more responsible and accountable to society. Taking into account the social and environmental dimensions of decisions beyond the financial return, which is certainly necessary but insufficient, is very complex.

The interview highlighted the challenges involved in making financial information transparent and understandable.

Indeed, some technical information, such as corporate extra-financial performance reports, can be difficult for individual investors to understand. Elisabeth Gressieux stressed the need for asset management companies and banks to make efforts to make such information more accessible and understandable.

The discussion then turned to the role of financial markets, the need to rethink liquidity and short-term speculation, the desire to promote a long-term dimension and support for businesses, and the need to simplify finance by distinguishing the useful from the futile in terms of both financial products and projects to be financed.