İstanbul, Türkiye | November 11, 2025
The International Workshop on “Sustainability and Family Business from the Past to the Present,” organized by Turkish Academy of Sciences – TÜBA Sustainable Development and Finance Working Group in collaboration with Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University and Kyoto Sangyo University, will bring together a diverse community of scholars, professionals, and policymakers to examine the evolving role of family businesses in promoting sustainability. Scheduled for November 11, 2025 in Istanbul (in a hybrid format), the workshop will serve as a multidisciplinary platform bridging historical insights with contemporary challenges and opportunities.
Family businesses are among the oldest and most resilient socio-economic institutions in the world, playing a vital role in local, national, and global economies. They often carry distinctive cultural values, governance models, and long-term orientations that can be leveraged to address pressing sustainability issues. By integrating perspectives from economics, business management, environmental studies, finance, sociology, and history, this workshop aims to uncover how family firms have historically navigated challenges such as environmental responsibility, intergenerational transition, innovation, and corporate ethics — and how these lessons can be applied to today’s global sustainability agenda.
The event will feature keynote lectures by internationally recognized scholars, thematic paper sessions, and interactive panel discussions encouraging dialogue between academia and practice. Participants will have the opportunity to explore comparative case studies from different regions, including Japan, Europe, the USA, and Turkey, allowing for cross-cultural analysis and the identification of best practices.
In addition to scholarly contributions, the workshop will provide practical insights for business owners, consultants, and policymakers by addressing questions such as: How can family businesses adapt to global environmental challenges? What governance structures best ensure sustainability across generations? What role can policy frameworks play in enhancing the long-term contribution of family firms to the economy and society?
This workshop also aims to foster international research collaboration and future publication opportunities. Selected papers may be invited for inclusion in an edited book or peer-reviewed journal special issue, ensuring that the outcomes of the workshop reach a wider academic and professional audience. By combining historical analysis with forward-looking strategies, the workshop seeks to contribute both to the academic literature and to the policy and business practices shaping the future of sustainable family enterprises.