PhD position in Sustainable Finance and Circular Economy

Lille Economics and Management (LEM, CNRS UMR 9221) and IÉSEG School of Management invite applications for a fully funded Ph.D. position in Sustainable Finance and Circular Economy, preferably at its Lille Campus.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The thesis project aims to study the narratives expressed by business leaders regarding their circular economy practices, analysing their environmental and social impacts (employee well-being, community respect, etc.) and their access to financing. The first phase will involve constructing a typology of the narratives associated with these environmental practices based on the leaders' discourses, using qualitative analyses and text analysis methods. In the second phase, these narratives will be compared with secondary data on the environmental and social performance of companies. Finally, an experimental study will be conducted with potential financiers to evaluate which types of narratives are most attractive for financing. This research will contribute to a better understanding of the links between leaders' narratives, their societal and environmental performance, and their access to financing, all within the context of recent European regulatory advances on circular economy.

The selected PhD candidate will work under the supervision of Prof. Marion Dupire, be part of the Finance Department at IÉSEG, and benefit from continuous interactions with its members.

ABOUT IÉSEG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT  

• IÉSEG is AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accredited and is a member of the “Conférence des Grandes Écoles.”  
• The IÉSEG Research Center is accredited by the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).  
• IÉSEG’s faculty is very diverse with more than 40 different nationalities represented. 

ABOUT LILLE ECONOMICS AND MANAGEMENT (LEM)  

• LEM is a research unit associating the CNRS (National Center for Scientific Research), the University of Lille and the Catholic University of Lille   
• LEM comprises about 150 researchers and 100 doctoral students in economics, management and statistics.   
• Research at LEM is multi-disciplinary in economics and management and is centered on societal issues.  
• LEM is a young, internationally oriented and dynamic laboratory with a strong scientific ambition. 

QUALIFICATIONS   

We are looking for high-potential PhD students who are passionate about the research topic and meet the following criteria’s

• Education in social sciences, economics, management, finance, or related fields.
• Skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis.
• Autonomy in managing the research project.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Intellectual curiosity and a passion for sustainability and responsible finance issues.
• Commitment to research excellence.

WORKING CONDITIONS   

The selected applicant is expected to begin his/her assignment in September or October 2025. Gross salary will be competitive with other European research and academic institutions (2200€/month). The Ph.D. student will be based preferably in Lille (on the site of IÉSEG School of Management). The selected candidate will have to enroll in a Ph.D. program at the University of Lille. The Ph.D. student will get all the means and support to engage in innovative, business-relevant research projects with high potential to get published in international peer reviewed journals.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Interested candidates must send their application through this platform. To submit your application, apply here and follow the submission process. 

For any further question, please contact us by e-mail to [email protected].

APPLICATION DEADLINE

The deadline to apply is May 2nd, 2025. We will begin considering candidates immediately and will continue until the position is filled. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.