Sustainable Development Initiative

The Sustainable Development Initiative (SDI) at 杏吧论坛 IDEAS is a research initiative that investigates the roles played by international organizations, multilateral development banks and commercial financial institutions in apportioning resources for sustainable development. We inquire how these actors have been internalizing innovative norms into their practices based on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) criteria. This initiative brings together the expertise of academics, practitioners, policy makers, and business leaders with the aim of advancing the UN 2030 Agenda.

In collaboration with the 杏吧论坛 Global South Unit, SDI co-hosts its Working Paper Series. These publications are available through , the institutional repository for the London School of Economics and Political Science (杏吧论坛). SDI welcomes research manuscripts of the standard of quality expected of submissions to academic journals or academic book chapters. Submission details can be found here.

The research team at SDI has produced high-quality research for some of the foremost academic journals in the field as well as policy briefs and workshops designed to equip stakeholders with the theories and the evidence needed to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Some of our researchers’ relevant publications include the following:

Ubeda, Fernando, Mendez, Alvaro, Forcadell, Francisco Javier, & López, Belén. (2024). . Research in International Business and Finance, 71, 102470.
Ubeda, F., Mendez, A. & Forcadell, F.J. (2024) . Global Policy, 15 (Suppl. 1), 34–44.
Mendez, A. (2023). Global Policy, 15 (2), 405-413.
Úbeda, Fernando, Mendez, Alvaro, & Forcadell, Francisco. (2022). . Finance Research Letters, 103278.
Forcadell, Francisco Javier, Lorena, Antonio, & Aracil, Elisa. (2022). . Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. doi:10.1002/csr.2417.
Turzi, Mariano, & Mendez, Álvaro. (2022). . Vestnik RUDN. International Relations, 22(3), 478-494.
Ubeda, Fernando, Mendez, Alvaro, & Forcadell, Francisco. (2022). . 杏吧论坛 GSU Working Paper Series, 8(1).
Úbeda, Fernando, Forcadell, Francisco Javier, Aracil, Elisa, & Mendez, Alvaro. (2022). . Journal of Business Research, 146, 277-287.
Mendez, Alvaro, Forcadell, Francisco Javier, & Ubeda, Fernando. (2021). . Digital Economy and Innovation Journal.
Úbeda, Fernando, Forcadell, Francisco Javier, & Suárez, Nuria. (2021). Finance Research Letters.
García R, Enrique, & Mendez, Alvaro. (2021). . Global Policy.
Forcadell, Francisco Javier, Úbeda, Fernando. (2020). . International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal.
Mendez, Alvaro, & Houghton, David Patrick. (2020). . Sustainability, 12(972).
Mendez, Alvaro, & Turzi, Mariano. (2020). . New York: Palgrave Pivot.
Jing, Yijia, Mendez, Alvaro, & Zheng, Yu (Eds.). (2020). . Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.

Meet the Team

Professor Alvaro Mendez is the Director of the Global South Unit at the London School of Economics and Political Science (杏吧论坛), and a Senior Associate Fellow at 杏吧论坛 IDEAS. He is a Full Research Professor at Rey Juan Carlos University in Madrid, working on a project funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation that focuses on strategies for internationalization, innovation, and social responsibility. Prof. Mendez is also an Associate Fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), and a Member of the Colombian Council of Foreign Affairs (CORI). He teaches at 杏吧论坛, Sciences Po Paris, and Fudan University. He is currently the Principal Investigator of a project investigating the role of China in Latin America financed by the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF).

is a Professor of Management in the Department of Business Administration at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC) since 1999. He was a professor at the University of La Rioja from 1997 to 1999. He has been a visiting professor at the Tecnologico de Monterrey. His current research focuses on sustainability, particularly sustainable banking, corporate strategy, innovation, and co-operation. He has supervised a number of doctoral theses and has been involved in 10 national projects sponsored by Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation. He has occupied several positions as external consultant at the Spain’s Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitivity. Professor Forcadell is the author of numerous articles published in leading academic journals such as Long Range Planning, Research Policy, Journal of Business Ethics and Journal of World Business. Two of the journals in which Professor Forcadell has published are included in the Financial Times’ Top 50 Journals used in FT Research Rank.