Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship

Prof. Giulia Neri-Castracane, Vincent Pfammatter, Dr Livia Ventura 

After the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, the essential role of business organisations in creating sustainable and inclusive economic growth and achieving the SDGs is undisputed. As a consequence, the past few decades have seen a proliferation, from the Americas to Europe, of new organisations (such as the benefit corporation) capable of bringing together social and environmental aims with business approaches. The research project is focused on the analysis of the different corporate forms and structures and the possible development of a uniform entity model (at regional or international level), as well as on the necessity to introduce or not in Switzerland dedicated corporate forms such as the benefit corporation or introduce special statuses.

Outcomes

       Media

Entreprises durables - Un statut à l'étude, 15.08.2024, RTS Un/ Le Journal 19h30

• Le Parlement a commencé l'examen d'une motion pour un statut d'entreprise durable. Décryptage avec Henry Peter, professeur de droit à l'UNIGE. 

Publications

• Swiss foundation and association law/2024 2025 Legal Update, in RSDA, Neri-Castracane Giulia, Pfammatter Vincent, Andrade Sara, Liccardo Laurie, p. 532 ss, 5/2025
• Empresas B y Sociedades BIC. Perspectiva comparada de las empresas con propósito, Carlos Vargas Vasserot Jaime Alcalde Silva William H. Clark Jr., Tirant lo Blanch, 03/07/2024. Foreword by Henry Peter.
• Statut Juridique d'Entreprise Durable en Suisse, Livre blanc du groupe d’experts juridique, Prof. Giulia Neri-Castracane, December 2023
• Social Enterprise Law A Multijurisdictional Comparative Review, Dana Brakman Reiser, Steven A. Dean & Giedre Lideikyte Huber (eds), December 22, 2023
• Sustainable purpose-driven enterprises - Swiss legal framework in a comparative law perspective, Giulia Neri-Castracane, 22 mai 2023
• Sustainable Purpose-Driven Enterprises. Where do we stand in Switzerland and what could be a possible policy option?, NERI-CASTRACANE Giulia, in Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Wirtschafts- und Finanzmarktrecht, 4/2023, p. 416.
• Future of Boards Phase 1: Part 1 Foundation and Methodology, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership (CISL), DLA Piper, 2023,  Dr Pamela Buchan, Steven Day, Dr Louise Drake, Emma Eteen, Seeraj Gajadhar, Dr Victoria Hurth, Dan Mocanu, Gillian Secrett, Dr Livia Ventura, Andrea Westall
• Future of Boards Legal and Regulatory Frameworks for Sustainability (Phase 1, Part 2), University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), DLA Piper, 2023, Dan Mocanu, Livia Ventura
• The International Handbook of Social Enterprises Law, Springer
• Sociétés hybrides, entreprises sociales, B-Corp : Le droit suisse est-il approprié ?, V.Pfammatter, H. Peter, SZW/ RSDA 3/2021, pp. 289-301
• Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence and the New Boundaries of the Firms in the European Union, European Business Law Review, L. Ventura, n. 34, vol. 2, 239-268, 2023

•    Sustainable Procurement: The Active Role of the State in Building a Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth, State and Enterprise. Legal Issues in the Global Market, B. De Donno, L. Ventura, eds. by M.R. Mauro and F. Pernazza, Springer, 2023, 259-281.

•  Philanthropy and the For-profit Corporation: The Benefit Corporation as The New Form of Firm Altruism, European Business Organization Law Review, L. Ventura, n. 3, 2022, 603-632

• The social enterprise movement and the birth of hybrid organizational forms as policy response to the growing demand for firm altruism, The International Handbook of Social Enterprise Law. Benefit Corporations and Other Purpose Driven Companies, L. Ventura, eds. by H. Peter, C. Vargas Vasserot, J. Alcalde Silva, Springer, 2022, 9-25

• Social Enterprises and Benefit Corporations in Italy, The International Handbook of Social Enterprise Law. Benefit corporations and other purpose driven companies, L. Ventura, eds. by H. Peter, C. Vargas Vasserot, J. Alcalde Silva, Springer, 2022, 651–674 (). Open access

• Verso un nuovo Statuto delle imprese ‘for benefit’ del ‘Quarto settore’ e il new normal post-covid, Comparative Law in Times of Emergencies, B. De Donno, L. Ventura, eds. by G. Giannone Codiglione, L. Pierdominici, Roma TrE-Press, Roma, 2022, 401-431

• Supply Chain Management and Sustainability: The New Boundaries of the Firm, Uniform Law Review, L. Ventura, n. 3, 2021, 599–634.

• The social responsibility of businesses, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, François Dermange, 01/2010

Events

• January 2026 - Reimagining the Third Sector – Making Space for a Fourth Sector, UNIGE, Canton of Geneva luncheon, World Economic Forum, Davos

• 2 December 2025 - Neue juristische Instrumente für engagierte Philanthropie, Schulthess Forum Non Profit Organisationen, Zurich.Conférence de Prof. Giulia Neri-Castracane.

• 29 Augsut 2025 - Topic 4: Wealth Transition, Alternative Financial Instruments, and Next-Generation Philanthropists as an Opportunity for the SDGs, World Philanthropy Forum. Participation de G. Neri-Castracane au panel.

• 8 November 2024 - Legal Statuses for Social Enterprises, Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Hamburg, in: Conference Social Enterprises from Concept to Practice, 7-9 novembre 2024, Hambourg. Conférence de G. Neri-Castracane.

• 18 June 2024 - Un nouveau cadre juridique pour les entreprises durables ? Entreprises durables : cadre légal ESG, certifications et labels, gouvernance et responsabilité, ExpertSuisse. Conférence de G. Neri-Castracane.

• 9 January 2024 - Conférence “Legal Framework of Social Enterprises in Switzerland: Current Situation and Prospects” avec Prof. Dana Brakman Reiser (Brooklyn Law School) et Prof. Sigrid Hemels (Erasmus University), UNIGE. Modération de G. Neri-Castracane

• 24 November 2023 - Un statut juridique d’entreprise durable – Pourquoi et Comment ?, Swiss Impact Forum, Berne.Conférence de G. Neri-Castracane

• 19 October 2023 - Le développement durable au cœur de la gouvernance des entreprises, Deloitte. Participation de G. Neri-Castracane au panel.

• 5  September 2023 - L’activité commerciale d’une entreprise est-elle compatible avec un but « social et durable » ?, « B is for Better: Redéfinir l’entreprise avec B Corps » Conference. Conférence de G. Neri-Castracane

• 29 June​​​​​​​ 2023 - Social Enterprises Law: Current Situation and Next Steps, European Research Network on Philanthropy (ERNOP) Conference 2023, Zagreb (Croatia). Participation de Livia Ventura et Vincent Pfammatter au panel. Modération de G. Neri-Castracane.

• 08-09 June 2022 - International Conference "Social Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy"
• 12 May 2022 - Journée du droit de l'entreprise "Entreprises à mission: une nouvelle ère dans la gouvernance?", University of Lausanne

Teaching

• Structuration des Entreprises Sociales, Prof. Giulia Neri-Castracane | Thursday 12.15 pm -2 pm| Uni-Mail M 5050
• DAS in strategic and operational philanthropy, Module on “Legal structuring of philanthropic projects and relevant financial, governance, and tax parameters” - G. Neri-Castracane (Module Head)