Embrace the Future – A Responsible Multispecies Leadership Agenda

Is it possible to apply multi-species and biodiversity-respecting approaches to the development of leadership and business practice? The answer is yes! These novel approaches to management studies enhance the holistic well-being of both human and non-human beings and are worthy of further exploration.

How can we revolutionize the way leaders – and individuals – think about leadership in the era of the Anthropocene? In a world where sustainability and ethical business practices are increasingly critical, this seminar inspires a paradigm shift by integrating multispecies and biodiversity-respectful perspectives into the core of leadership and sustainable business practice. It aims to cultivate multi-disicplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration by integrating multispecies engagement, animal welfare, and leadership.

By bringing together scholars, students, and practitioners, the event delves into the transformative potential of multispecies and biodiversity-respectful approaches to leadership, business, and management. This event aims to challenge conventional notions of leadership, prompting a shift from a human-centered approach to more ethical and biodiversity-respectful ‘more-than-human’ perspectives.

The seminar is part of the Design for Cooler Planet event. A link is distributed to online participants after registration.

Programme

14:15
Welcome and opening of the seminar
Astrid Huopalainen, Assistant Professor, Aalto University

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14:15 – 14:45
One Health & One Welfare – Insights on Animal Welfare for Future Leaders

Anna Hielm-Björkman, Assistant Professor, Docent of Clinical Research in Companion Animals, University of Helsinki, Finland

What is One Health & One Welfare, and what do future leaders and business practicitioners need to know about this approach? Given that One Health & One Welfare integrates the interconnections between animal welfare, human well-being, and the physical and social environment, future leaders and business practitioners can play a pivotal role in fostering a more sustainable and equitable world, where the health and well-being of humans, animals, and the environment are all prioritized.

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14:45 – 15:15
Nonhumans as Stakeholders: Fostering Ethical Leadership in a Multispecies Agenda

José-Carlos García-Rosell, Professor of Business Ethics, Oulu Business School, University of Oulu, Finland

Although stakeholder theory has traditionally been anthropocentric, an emerging stream of literature is expanding stakeholder thinking to include nonhumans. Who are nonhuman stakeholders? How does stakeholder status contribute to the inclusion of nonhumans in organizations? What role do research and education play in promoting multispecies leadership? By using the case of sled dog kennels as a multispecies organizational context, this presentation will shed light into the meaning of ethical leadership and business practices that consider the well-being and needs of both human and nonhuman tourism workers.

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15:15 – 15:45
Biodiversity Respectful Leadership – Shaping the Future

Satu Teerikangas, Professor of Management and Organization, University of Turku, Finland

What is Biodiversity Respectful Leadership, and how can this approach foster a paradigm shift in leadership? Addressing biodiversity decline and loss calls for transformative change. This presentation explores how leadership can enable such transformative change. Building on interdisciplinary conceptual and empirical research, the presentation offers insights into biodiversity-respectful leadership. Moreover, the challenges and opportunities involved in such conceptualization are discussed.

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15:45 – 16:15 
A Q&A session with the speakers

Astrid Huopalainen, Assistant Professor, Aalto University, will chair the session.

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16:15 –
Snacks and networking

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