The Clinic: Corporate social responsability and innovation (RISE)

This clinic project with Resource Matters, an NGO working on good governance in the natural resources sector with a focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aims at gathering and analyzing data on the possibilities for implementation of the Directive on corporate sustainability due diligence (CSDDD) in the cobalt sector.

The project works in particular on deepening the legal research on the implementation of the CSDDD. As part of the project, students will focus on laying down the key aspects of what the CSDDD implementation means for the cobalt sector, and what CSDDD harmonization at the national level will entail in selected EU countries that already have their due diligence legislation into place.

Secondly, they will gather and analyze data to determine whether selected companies (that source cobalt from the DRC and present some ESG red flags) fall within the scope of the Directive.

This analysis will throw the basis for the development of sector-specific guidelines on the implementation of the CSDDD for the actors operating in the cobalt supply chain.

• Partner: Resource Matters
• Tutor: Adèle Bourgin 

In an increasingly demanding regulatory environment for sustainable finance, the issue of sustainability risk is of major importance. The aim of the project is to provide an operational overview of the regulatory framework for sustainability risks and the obligations faced by financial market participants.

The deliverable takes the form of a table and a report analyzing the articulations and complementarities between the European SFDR and CSRD texts, as well as Article 29 of the Energy-Climate Law concerning sustainability risks.

• Partner: EthiFinance 
• Tutors: Louise Beuloir and Cyann Starck 

L'Oréal is committed to respecting internationally recognized Human Rights, notably through the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). In a context of heightened stakeholder expectations regarding measures to prevent negative impacts, growing attention must be paid to managing these impacts. The project's objective is to deepen L'Oréal's understanding of operations or sourcing from challenging contexts. The question of whether or not to maintain business activities in these areas and how to operate a responsible exit will also be the subject of this project.

• Partner: L'Oréal SA 
• Tutor: Maxime BELINGHERI

This is a joint clinic project with the HEDG clinic programme. 

The World Bank Group, through its Integrity Vice Presidency (INT), collaborates with the Sciences Po Law Clinic to analyze integrity risks in climate finance. The project examines case studies on finance mechanisms and climate projects, addressing risks such as fraud, corruption, and climate-washing.

Guided by experienced professionals, students develop skills in legal research, case analysis, report writing, and the creation of practical tools. This partnership strengthens the World Bank’s climate finance mechanisms while providing hands-on experience in integrity, risk management, and governance.

• Partner:  World Bank Group – Integrity Vice Presidency
• Tutor: Eléna Divry 

The students are working within the OECD's Centre for Responsible Business Conduct to support the implementation of the OECD's Recommendations on the Role of Government in Promoting Responsible Business Conduct, by analyzing the activity of public authorities and their good practices. Based on OECD instruments, the project raises awareness of the areas of intersection between the public and private sectors, specifically by building knowledge related to recent developments in government efforts on RBC.

The project requires strong research and cross-analysis skills, using a variety of technical and linguistic supports (government communications, legal texts, strategic sector documents, etc.). Case studies are produced on targeted public policies, for example on human rights issues, public procurement rules, public enterprise management, or foreign aid strategies. These analyses help to demonstrate the innovations of national and local public authorities, their shortcomings and their priorities in promoting Responsible Business Conduct.

• Partner: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
• Tutor: Elodie Bou Antoun 

At a time of increasing sustainability-related regulations, the project aims to study the legal framework relating to greenwashing (whether in force or under construction), in France and internationally. More specifically, the analysis focuses on the obligations arising from the French Development Agency (“AFD”) scope of activities. It is intended to identify any greenwashing legal risks to which AFD might be exposed. The final deliverable is a written summary which: (i) sets out the legal framework and the obligations specific to finance companies, and (ii) proposes recommendations to limit AFD's exposure.

• Partner: Agence française de Développement (AFD) 
• Tutor: Mélinée Aprikian 

Sustainable finance consists in ‘integrating environmental, social and governance considerations into investment decisions’. Since 2018, this new form of finance has emerged in the European Union as an essential means to combat climate change.

The European Commission has adopted several regulations designed to provide a framework to promote sustainable finance. This regulatory framework is particularly based on a classification system for sustainable activities, introduced by Regulation 2020/852 of 18 June 2020, known as the Taxonomy, and a framework for the publication of information by financial and non-financial companies, introduced respectively by Regulation 2019/2088 of 27 November 2019, known as the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), and by Directive 2022/2464 of 14 December 2022, known as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).

Although these innovative regulations may represent a valuable means for the ecological transition, some players are pointing out their lack of clarity, their complexity and their inconsistency, which are likely to make their operational implementation tricky. For others, these new regulations have also led to over-regulation, calling for simplification, as suggested by the recent Draghi report.

In the context of an inflation of standards in the field of sustainable finance, the aim of this clinical project is to draw up a critique of current European regulations in the field of sustainable finance, with the objective of proposing concrete solutions to improve their clarity and coherence.
 

• Partner: Bred and Lisa Fitoussi, affiliate Professor at the Sciences Po Law school 
• Tutors: Philippine De Groote and Yassine El Gnaoui