The study “Sustainability decision-making in times of crisis: an empirical study in Italy under the lens of the Russian-Ukraine war”, conducted in the Lombardy region of Italy by Professors Valentina Lazzarotti and Andrea Urbinati with Rodrigo Bruno Santolin e Juan Ignacio Dorrego Viera (PhD Students), delved into how businesses reacted to the Russian-Ukraine war, particularly in terms of sustainability decisions. It found that amidst the crisis, managers shifted their focus towards the social aspect of sustainability, aligning it more closely with economic goals. Despite traditionally being seen as a secondary concern, the study highlights how external disruptions like this war can elevate the importance of social sustainability.

This shift indicates a potential repositioning of social goals as integral to business strategies. These findings offer crucial insights into adapting business strategies during crises, especially for addressing challenges posed by geopolitical events like the Russian-Ukraine conflict.