The University of Barcelona vindicates the importance of family businesses in the Catalan economy
Members of the UB and ASCEF, in the Historical Building of the University of Barcelona.
News
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Institutional
(26/09/2024)
The new UB Chair on Family Business was presented yesterday at the University of Barcelona, thanks to the collaboration between the UB and the Catalan Association of Family Businesses (ASCEF). The main objectives of the Chair are to incorporate the reality of family businesses into university classrooms, as well as the commitment to sustainability and social responsibility in the management of these companies.
Members of the UB and ASCEF, in the Historical Building of the University of Barcelona.
News
|
Institutional
26/09/2024
The new UB Chair on Family Business was presented yesterday at the University of Barcelona, thanks to the collaboration between the UB and the Catalan Association of Family Businesses (ASCEF). The main objectives of the Chair are to incorporate the reality of family businesses into university classrooms, as well as the commitment to sustainability and social responsibility in the management of these companies.
According to ASCEF data, family businesses account for 88.3% of all private companies, contribute 69% of gross value added (GVA), and generate 76% of private jobs. The Chair aims to highlight to the university community the important contribution they make to the economy.
However, 85% of family businesses still do not have a strategy for social responsibility and sustainability (ESG). The collaboration between the University and ASCEF will focus on sustainable governance, environmental risk management, processes and structures of corporate governance and governance of the family-business relationship, and the relationship with stakeholders.
The rector of the UB, Joan Guàrdia, said that “family business is a heritage of Catalonia and, therefore, the University of Barcelona must pay attention to promote science and knowledge in this field”.
Laura Guitart Tarrés, lecturer at the Department of Business at the UB’s Faculty of Economics and Business and director of the Chair, emphasized “the need to bring the reality of the Catalonia’s business fabric closer to the university classroom, in a faculty that is dedicated to training the future leaders of companies”. The Faculty of Economics and Business welcomes 1,200 new students each academic year in Business Administration and Management, Economics and International Business. “Students should know that a family business is much more than a business and they should be aware of its particularities, in case they have to be part of it or even if they have to face the challenge of leading one”, Guitart remarked.
On behalf of ASCEF, the president of the association, Jaume Alsina, said that “it is an honour and a satisfaction to inaugurate this new stage of the Chair, maintaining the same principles”. "This is an innovative and stimulating project”, he said.
However, 85% of family businesses still do not have a strategy for social responsibility and sustainability (ESG). The collaboration between the University and ASCEF will focus on sustainable governance, environmental risk management, processes and structures of corporate governance and governance of the family-business relationship, and the relationship with stakeholders.
The rector of the UB, Joan Guàrdia, said that “family business is a heritage of Catalonia and, therefore, the University of Barcelona must pay attention to promote science and knowledge in this field”.
Laura Guitart Tarrés, lecturer at the Department of Business at the UB’s Faculty of Economics and Business and director of the Chair, emphasized “the need to bring the reality of the Catalonia’s business fabric closer to the university classroom, in a faculty that is dedicated to training the future leaders of companies”. The Faculty of Economics and Business welcomes 1,200 new students each academic year in Business Administration and Management, Economics and International Business. “Students should know that a family business is much more than a business and they should be aware of its particularities, in case they have to be part of it or even if they have to face the challenge of leading one”, Guitart remarked.
On behalf of ASCEF, the president of the association, Jaume Alsina, said that “it is an honour and a satisfaction to inaugurate this new stage of the Chair, maintaining the same principles”. "This is an innovative and stimulating project”, he said.
Finally, the dean of the UB’s Faculty of Economics and Business, Ramon Alemany, recalled that the first chair on family business was promoted at the UB in 1998.
Among the actions to be carried out are the creation of two lines of bachelor’s degree final project (TFG) and master’s degree final project (TFM) on family businesses, the creation of a prize for the best TFG and TFM on this type of business, and the participation of family business professionals in the Faculty's teaching activities, among others.Multimedia gallery
