International conference at ESSCA in Budapest about the “greenest” Olympic Games
Paris will host the most important competition series of the year, the 33rd Summer Olympic Games. In the spirit of sustainability, this will be the first venue where 95% of the infrastructure already existed prior to the events. 1,000 km of new bicycle paths, approximately 3,000 bikes will be at the disposal of 15,000 athletes, 45 million volunteers and 15 million visitors. For the occasion, 200,000 new trees will be planted and 700 drinking fountains will be installed in the French capital.
Compliance with the requirements of sustainable development also plays a central role in the coordination of processes at the Hungarian Campus of the French ESSCA School of Management International, a holding a distinguished place on the Financial Times’ list as being among the best management courses worldwide and recognized with the “Triple Crown” designation, the highest qualification of the profession. This time, the university organized a roundtable discussion on May 15th, 2024, in cooperation with the French Institute of Budapest, in relation to the “greenest” Olympic Games.
In addition to sustainability and environmental protection, the importance of the role of sport is also a determining and mutual aspect to the festive games according to the values of the business school. The central topic of the roundtable discussion was also related to this, during which the distinguished panelists of the event elaborated on their point of view on the role of sports in the development of leadership skills. In addition to the foreign and domestic management of ESSCA, the leading directors of Accace Hungary and Morgan Stanley Hungary also shared their experiences at the international conference.
A similar mentality ties us together
According to a 2020 survey, 102 out of 102 leaders interviewed played sports. Young competitors state that exercise provides them with continuous development, a sense of purpose, faith, humility, perseverance and teamwork. These skills often pave the path to management positions later in one’s professional careers.
Teammates-turned-colleagues typically think alike. And regular exercise is an excellent remedy for dealing with professional standstills and stress.
“For me sports help to reduce stress, divert my attention from problems at work, and give me energy for new challenges. We also used sports activity within the company to build teams and accelerate teamwork within departments.” – emphasized István Nemecz, Managing Director of Accace Hungary.
Green Olympics – Sustainable university
An outstanding aspect of the strategy of the ESSCA School of Management, which was founded 115 years ago and has a strong set of values, is the development of management skills in addition to quality education. The university places great emphasis on combining its values, cultural diversity, vibrant student life, professionalism, commitment to sustainability, and sports events in its everyday life. It supports the development of a sports mindset, i.e. a leadership attitude, through movement and the joy of playing together with many of its programs. Its annual sports day focuses on introducing environmentally friendly alternatives as well.
“At ESSCA, we are exploring how sports can be a catalyst for the training of committed and responsible leaders who are aware of their own social impact. We integrate the matter of social responsibility into our management influenced by sports in such a way to inspire change in society.” – said Dr. Jean Charroin, the CEO and Dean of ESSCA School of Management.
“The ESSCA School of Management has always been a trendsetter in analysing, pointing to and sharing professional questions and scientific findings in order to help students and alumni better understand and apply their management skills in their own field. This year for the first time a global series of conferences on Artificial Intelligence has been launched at the Budapest Campus and now in honor of the Olympic Games organised in Paris ESSCA organises, in collaboration with the French Institute in Budapest, an exciting and inspiring roundtable discussion on how sports influence our leadership skills and approaches.” – highlighted Dr. Zsuzsa Deli-Gray, the Campus Director of ESSCA Budapest.
“The French Institute in Budapest is delighted to organise the roundtable discussion titled “How sports influence leadership skills” in partnership with ESSCA, which has been a key partner of the French Institute of Budapest for over 30 years in strengthening Franco-Hungarian relations and promoting French excellence in the region. As France is welcoming the Olympic Games this year, we wanted to do our share and highlight the role of sports in developing leadership skills from a Franco-Hungarian perspective.” – emphasized Gianmarco Gallott, Scientific and Interuniversity Cooperation Attaché of the French Institute.
Long live sport, which develops leadership attitudes!
For the first time in the history of the Olympic pentathlon games, a marathon mass run will also be held. Determined amateurs can also try this out at the event.
“Many parallels have been drawn between the sports and corporate world. By focusing on professional sport, they fail to take into account the specificity of sport as a leisure activity for the masses.” – warned Dr. David Ranc, Professor at ESSCA.
Dr. Julien Jouny-Rivier, Associate Professor at ESSCA, believes that there is a risk in highlighting a single individual among others during the marketing campaign built around team sports. This may jeopardize the understanding of the values conveyed by the campaign, as well as the impact on the stakeholders in terms of their professional future.
Sports prepare you for a career
A research conducted among men holding senior management positions showed that 86% of them were involved in sports in their youth. This has accelerated their career development, which contributed towards the positive evaluation during the selection process of candidates by taking into account one’s athletic past. Sports offer vision, dreams, courage and strategic thinking.
“Game theory suggests that martial arts significantly enhance social interactions. Becoming a warrior is about learning to face failure. The life of a martial instructor is about controlling space and striving for a (mostly) positive impact.” – pointed out Dr. Balázs Vaszkun, alumnus and Managing Director of Galloman Translation and Interpreting Agency.
“This is not only an Olympic year but also the year Budapest will host the FIDE Chess Olympiad, providing a unique opportunity to reflect on how sports, and in particular, chess, can shape business success. Chess nurtures strategic thinking, pattern recognition, adaptability and decision-making under pressure, skills that align with the demands of the business world. The many amateur and competitive chess players at Morgan Stanley recognize the power of chess to build resilience, creativity, and innovation, helping us excel in today’s complex business landscape.” – stated Norbert Fogarasi, Head of Morgan Stanley’s Budapest office, FIDE Candidate Master chess player.
The professional well-being of managers and employees contributes to the successful operation of an organization, and sports play a significant role in this. Physical exercise develops endurance and a goal oriented mindset in one’s career from the beginning to the end.
About ESSCA
- The institution was founded in Angers, France in 1909.
- The Budapest campus of ESSCA was founded in 1993, and welcomes 750 students from 30 different countries annually.
- The university has been a member of Conférence des Grandes Écoles since 1977.
- Uniquely among Hungarian universities it received accreditations from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA, otherwise known as „the Triple Crown”.
- The Financial Times has ranked its institution among the best business schools worldwide.
- The university which has multiple international accreditations, has launched a bachelor’s degree in English in Budapest as well, where Hungarian students are also welcome to apply.
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